Until the End of Times (Gods of Egypt)
by Ascella Star
Summary: This is a story of two people from different worlds... ... and the tale of a love that might defy all odds.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

* * *

_SAKKARA_

It had been several days of constant rain. Sometimes it ebbed for a few minutes only to start with renewed force again. There were some nights where the sound of the water hitting the floor was only partially covered by the sounds of thunder moving across the sky.

The water levels of the Nile were at an all-time high, while the ocean beyond was in a state of wilderness that all ports simply decided to stop trade and transportation.

Above all that, the air seemed charged with some sort of powerful energy, something that was warning everybody to be cautious, to not leave their homes lest they upset their gods. Something that screamed of danger and destruction.

But it was not something caused by _Them _.

No, this energy, these feelings, and especially this storm were the product of _others _like him, others that are similar in nature and power, but that have their dominion beyond his land.

For a moment, Anubis felt curious. Focusing his grey eyes beyond the horizon, he wondered what exactly happened to have a reaction so violent that even lands away their ire is felt. He is also curious if his counterpart from those lands is about to have a sudden increase in workload.

Standing up from the place where he was watching the rain, he briefly wonders if this weather will continue for much longer and if they would get news of the aftermath of whatever is happening across the ocean.

With a last glance to the stormy horizon, he turns around and goes back to his temple. He has his own duties to perform.

* * *

One day, sometime during the night, the rain finally stops. Most Egyptian citizens didn't notice since they had been holed up in their homes for a while, some sound asleep while others were too immersed in their activities that they never noticed the change outside.

The only ones that noticed were those in charge of the ill, or those that were guarding the temples during the night.

They were the ones to sound the alarms when the earthquake began.

Earthquakes were not a common occurrence in Egypt; in fact, the last one to actually hit them was on Nubia several years back, and it was so small that Nubians barely felt it.

This one however, was not a laughing matter. The earthquake lasted for several minutes, and it was so powerful that several houses sported cracks in their foundations afterwards. When the second one hit, everybody started to gather things as offering to their gods, not knowing if this was a punishment or if they somehow got upset with them.

The third one was milder than the others, making them believe that the gods were no longer mad with them. Almost nobody noticed the last one, just before sunrise, when everybody was finally contemplating going back to their homes.

However, what everybody noticed was the rise of twin suns on the horizon, making them think that perhaps Ra and Hathor were giving them their blessings and that something good would finally come from these long days of darkness.

Near the Nile, a silent figure clad in gold and black was watching the rise of the twin suns too. His impassive stance not betraying his thoughts, as this special phenomenon had not happened since the beginning of the time.

Tuning out the sounds of the people near him, Anubis quietly contemplated what to do next. He knew that there was not a thing he could do here anymore, and thanks to the earth movements from the night before, he would soon have some work to do.

Just as he was turning around to get back to his temple and pose as one of his own priests, Anubis saw a strange glimmer coming from the Nile Shore.

Curious as was his nature, he decided to walk to the shore and investigate. There, with the strange, shifting light still surrounding her, was a girl with long light brown hair styled in a rather loose way. The shimer soon gave way to clothes that were completely soaked, probably a product of the river, or maybe because of the rain the night before. She was missing a shoe and seemed to be holding something tightly on her hand.

The girl was unconscious and the dried blood on her forehead hinted to some sort of head injury that was not visible from where he was without touching her.

Without much thought, he carefully picked her up and began to walk towards his temple, all the while shifting his appearance.

By the time he reached the temple, the girl had curled up a bit on his arms, as if knowing she was safe with him. With an amused smile, he put her on a small table before looking for another more comfortable area to place her.

Atem, the main priest of the temple and someone that Anubis could easily label as a friend, quickly caught on what he was trying to do, and helped him settle the girl down. Once done with that, and knowing his friend was dying of curiosity, Anubis decided to share what he knew.

"I found her not too long ago near the Nile shore while I was tending to some of the people of the city" Anubis, now as Khaba, said. For some reason, he decided not to share the strange glow that surrounded her moments before he found her.

"I think she might be missing from somewhere after the storm and the earthquake" Atem mused while looking for supplies and some fresh clothes for the girl. Giving them to a young apprentice with precise instructions, Atem turned back to Khaba. "Maybe someone will look for her in a few days"

Mirroring his pensive stance, Khaba asked "what if nobody does?"

"Then we take her in, and care for her as our own" was Atem's answer, that was met with a great degree of approval from the disguised god.

* * *

_HARDAI_

Days quickly turned into weeks, which in turn quickly became months, and before anybody noticed several years had already passed.

Still, nobody asked for a girl who went missing during tempest week.

Anubis tried to gather information in this regard with the other gods and in other cities to no avail. Apparently, nobody actually misplaced a girl, and if the ones in charge of her died during that week, they certainly failed to mention it during their trials.

In fact, the only interesting bits of information that he managed to find, were rumours of a sinking city beyond the ocean. Apparently, they managed to piss a god enough that it was decided those people were not meant to be saved, but instead eliminated.

Hence, the strange energy he felt at the time.

Still, he took that information with a grain of salt. He instinctively knew that the storm was not a natural one, but the more he heard about this mysterious city, the more he was convinced that half of those stories were shrouded in fantasy and the imagination of the teller.

Rumours went from waves as high as the sky that were in the shape of a giant hand, others claimed that there was thunder that deafened every creature that heard them, so they did not notice how the island suddenly broke down. Others said that stars fell to the island, burning everything and destroying whatever was not incinerated already.

And then there were those who were so out of logic that he, an actual god, struggled to understand.

As for the girl, for a moment, he actually feared that he would have to take her to his own halls of judgement. She spent at least a week after he found her in an unconscious state, with burning fevers that came and went with no real pattern that only disappeared once he convinced Sekhmet to lend him a small vial of medicine.

Three days later, Atem decided to name her Massika, since she came to them during the rain.

They discovered that once she was free of illness, she was a really bright and bubbly girl, that her hair was not brown but something resembling the rays of the sun and that her eyes were as clear as the sky.

But she had no recollection of who she was before.

They then decided to test her regarding priesthood activities to see if she had any affinity to them, especially since Atem wanted to train her as Priestess of the temple.

That is how Massika's time as a Temple Maiden began.

* * *

_NOTES: _

_So, here we are with a new story. Just as last year, this is the result of my participation in the Reverse Senshi Shitennou Mini Bang for 2019; and like last year, there is beautiful art attached to it (it's beautiful and it was made by Artimas. Go check it out! artimas dot Tumblr dot com /Post/ **188757079490** and Post/ **189026945665**._

_Also, Almost all of this fic was written while listening to "Vovin" from Therion. You might find the background music interesting._

_And, Just in case you missed it:_

_Atem: Artemis._  
_Khaba: Kunzite_  
_Massika: Minako_


	2. Wadi Festival

**Wadi Festival **

**(The Beautiful feast of the Valley)**

_Chapter Summary: The Beautiful Feast of the Valley honored the souls of the deceased and allowed for the living and dead to celebrate together while, at the same time, honoring Amun._

* * *

_MEMPHIS_

"How are we on the Beer supplies? Wadi Festival is approaching fast and we still have several things missing" a blonde woman asked to the rest of the people at the table.

"Barley farms are done with harvesting, and according to the brewers, the Beer will be fresh and on time for the festival" a man in red robes and heavy eye make-up promptly answered.

"Good. What about the flowers?" was the next question asked by the blonde, seemingly satisfied by the previous statement.

Looking from the side, and watching how she took care of the organization of the festival, made Atem smile with a fondness only reserved for her. Moreover, since he was supposed to be doing exactly that.

However, once he got the meeting with the other temples going, she quickly but subconsciously took over the organization and funnily enough, nobody questioned her authority.

Even if by all rights everybody had a higher rank than her.

The Beautiful Feast of the Valley was supposed to celebrate the death and the living, and as such, representatives from the temples of Osiris, Amun, Maat and Anubis from all over the kingdom were present to provide the population with a worthy festival.

"Do we have word on the Ship builders? Last I remember, they were going well but were waiting for some supplies for Amun's Barque"

Whatever the answer was, it was quickly ignored by Atem, once he realised he now had company in admiring the blond. Turning around, he was met with Khaba's curious gaze, which was torn between amusement at seeing Massika order and direct the rest of the high priests and priestess to do her biding, and fondness at seeing his friend watch over the girl he regarded as a daughter.

"She's a force of nature, I honestly pity whoever decides to oppose her in whatever she decides to do", Khaba kept watching the proceedings, noting how she was writing down everything that needed any type of follow up, and crossing whatever was done and waiting for execution.

"You should have seen her during the last meeting" Atem suddenly commented, seeing the interest his friend had on the meeting. At Khaba's grunt of interest, he promptly elaborated. "A young acolyte tried to flirt with her, once he realized she was the driving force behind the festival organization.

He thought that using some of his boyish charm on her would help influence her decision regarding the suppliers of flowers. I swear it was scary how using her most polite voice and her sweetest smile, she told him that unless he could prove that his supplier was better fitted, she was not changing her decision to contract with the one previously proposed".

Smiling at the memory and barely suppressing a laugh, he added "she then turned around, and told the rest of the assembled people that she hoped that she was not risking the wrath of the gods, just because of familial relations, so if somebody wanted to propose different suppliers, they should be sure that they were the best the kingdom had to offer".

Atem gestured to Khaba to accompany him outside, so they would not disturb the rest of the meeting. The place selected to hold the meeting was near one of the most popular gardens of the city, so their conversation was halted for the moment. They decided to people watch while walking in an aimless way, and once they found a place to rest and hide from the sun, they resumed their talk.

Since Khaba had been absent for a long time from their temple activities, it was Atem's joy and pleasure to keep him up to date with everything that had happened.

During this chat, Atem told him about the disaster of the food, one day that Massika tried to mix beer with vegetables and meat, and completely forgoing some of the oils used for cooking. He also told him about the latest rivalry between some Seth and Ra's Acolytes and how some of the Bastet Priestesses were the ones putting an end to the competition once it started to affect life in other temples, theirs included.

He also added the funny anecdote of Massika chasing those acolytes outside of the temple once she realised some were trying to sneak inside the forbidden rooms while others were trying to steal the scented oils for embalming.

"You know, you are quite lucky to have her as part of the Temple" Atem threw at Khaba in an offhand way.

Seeing his confused face, Atem gave him an understanding but knowing smile "My friend, I have known you for a really long time, and I love you like a brother, but I have known for a really long time that you are not who you claim you are".

"S-since when, H-how did you…?"

"Khaba, we have known each other for over 20 years, and not once have I seen you age a day. At first I thought it was a coincidence, but once I realised you usually disappeared during certain dates and reappeared after certain events, and that you knew personal details of the people we prepared for the Ritual of the Death, I understood that there was more to you than meets the eye."

Nodding in understanding, Anubis, still clad in his Khaba persona, asked him if anybody else knew about him and why he never said a thing to him before.

The "well, above everything else, you are my friend" made something inside the god fill with warmth.

It was a couple hours later when they decided to go back to the meeting room, but knowing how those gatherings went, they knew that at the most they would be about to wrap things for the meeting next week.

That idea was proved correct once they were near, as some of the voices from earlier were still debating about some thing or another, but considering that it was not really a discussion but more like a checklist of sorts, they knew the meeting was about to come to an end.

By the time they reached the room, everybody was saying their goodbyes before leaving altogether.

"Atem! Where have you been? One moment you were beside me and the next you completely disappeared!" Massika admonished the older Priest, and completely missing his companion.

Said companion however, decided to make his presence known by answering before his friend and telling her that it was his fault since he asked him to talk outside for a moment.

"Oh! High Priest Khaba!" Massika said, before colour filled her face and a shy smile appeared on her lips. Gone was the fierce girl that a few minutes ago was defending her ideas for the festival, replaced by this demure blushing girl.

"By the gods!" was Atem's only thought before he turned around to subtly watch his friend's reaction.

The same fond smile from earlier was there, but now it was laced with something more completely directed at her. It was not a smile that you gave to family nor to a friend. It was something gentler and in a flash of understanding, he understood that something more was bound to happen there.

Atem kept watching their interactions for the rest of the day, not knowing what to do with that sudden revelation.

* * *

_THEBES_

Wadi Festival was about to start. People from all around the kingdom were gathering along the Nile in hopes of having a good place to witness the arrival of the Statue of the God Amun in its floating shrine. Priests and Priestess of the different temples were already gathered, wearing their best robes and just waiting for the ones in charge of bringing the statues of the Gods to arrive.

This year, the honor of carrying the statue of Amun to the Nile and to the barque afterwards fell onto those priests that made something really outstanding on their communities, and in the case of Hardai, their representative was non other than Atem.

Massika was waiting with the rest of her temple representatives, having being left in charge of their group while both Atem and Khaba were away. As such, hers was the most elaborate outfit of the lot.

Anubis and Osiris representatives were supposed to wear black linen, the only thing that really distinguished one another were the different colours they were allowed to use.

In case of the representatives of Anubis, The priests' black Kilts were adorned with heavy belts in gold, turquoise, obsidian and amethyst that matched the necklaces they wore. Some of them, the ones with a higher rank, forewent the necklaces in favour of the skin of a Leopard.

The priestess on the other hand, were wearing long black Kalasiris that were just a bit transparent when the light hit them right. The necklaces they wore were also in Gold with stones, though in comparison with the ones the men wore, these ones were bigger and flashier. Some of the Priestess, were also wearing their customary black wig, adorned with golden beads and colourful stones.

They were a sight to behold, but if you were to ask Anubis, who was hidden behind some of the pillars of a temple nearby, Massika was the one who shone the most.

Her Kalasiris seemed to be of a richer material than the one used by other priestesses, but still light and flowy enough to feel fresh in the face of the desert heat. The wig she was wearing was almost as long as her own hair, reaching her mid back, and having it adorned with gold and blue beads, that were reminiscent of both her eyes and her hair.

He smiled broadly once he noticed that the necklace she was wearing was one he gifted her when her training as priestess of the temple was complete. It was a beautiful assembly of gold, lapis lazuli, emeralds and other coloured beads. There was also a black and gold serpent she was wearing on her arm.

But the most striking thing about her were undoubtedly her eyes. Completely forgoing another colour, The black kohl she was wearing only served to emphasize the blue of her eyes, which shone in tandem with the beads on her wig and the crystals on her necklace.

She looked gorgeous, and he couldn't take his eyes off her.

Unknown to him, he was not the only one watching her from afar.

* * *

The festival was real success.

The procession was flawless, with the statue of Amun-Ra in its barque, being towed by the pharaoh's personal ship, always following the pace of the Nile and going from east to west in order to reach the sacred land of the dead. Behind him, were the selected priests that were in charge of attending the god; then the high ranking officials, other priests and priestesses and finally the townspeople.

The offering of tributes while Amun-Ra was first put down was an interesting thing, with curious onlookers who had never seen the god this close or people that came with tributes and questions of the future. For a moment some of the newer priests were nervous of the really big amount of people gathering around the god, and were even thinking of ways to restrict their access. The more seasoned ones, simply let them be, knowing that the fear the people had of angering the deity would prevent them from truly doing something against the statue.

By the time the procession was done for the people and the high priests moved west with the Pharaoh, the celebration truly began.

Beer was offered to everybody who wanted a drink, flowers were given to all those who didn't have their own for their dead ones and the fires illuminating over some of the minor Mastabas gave the entire celebration an eerie feeling.

All the priests and priestesses in attendance were the more sought after people, but most of all, the ones related to Osiris and Anubis because of their roles in the death process.

In fact, if you were to look for any of them you would not see them for more than five minutes in one given place and even then, it was a rarity if you managed to get more than one in the same place.

Then again, if you truly payed attention, you would notice a certain pattern regarding some of the people from the Anubis Temple. The girl in the stunningly long wig was almost always seen near or with one of the two high priests: Atem, the highest priest from the temple of Anubis in Hardai and Khaba, the mysterious traveling High Priest.

She on the other hand, was a complete unknown, a fact which the Pharaoh found to be odd, as he was supposed to know -at least from passing- all of the holy people of a certain rank in his kingdom.

He needed to investigate more, because a beauty like that could not have gone unnoticed this long without at least some whispers from his court.

* * *

_MEMPHIS_

If you were to ask anyone, how was the easier way to keep a proper information web running, some would tell you that an army of spies was the way to go about it. Others might tell you that your trusted advisors should be able to know everything that happens in your country. Then there were the crazy ones that believed that strict laws were the way to control what your people knew and what they were doing or thinking.

Someone as Akh, who was blessed with knowledge given by his mother, knew that if you actually wanted to know something the best way to do it was through gossip.

Courtiers and the people of his inner circle were usually quick to deny those claims, saying that gossip was something only the townspeople indulged on, but he actually knew better. He only needed to say the appropriate words here and there and in a matter of days at most, he would be able to know what exactly was happening on the other side of the kingdom.

His quest for knowledge this time was not of the political or social matter, it was not even related to the whispers of war going on in some remote lands. This time, what he needed to know was more of a… personal matter.

He needed to know about the beautiful priestess from the festival. And he needed that information quick.

He was pretty intrigued, who was she? Where was she from? To which temple was she assigned? Were her eyes blue? Or was the colour just a play of the lights? Is she single? Is someone courting her?

Ever since the day of the Festival, he had not been able to shake his thoughts of her, and the way she laughed or the way she moved… So, saying a few carefully selected words in the ears of certain people here and there, he stepped back a bit and waited.

And he was not disappointed, as a few days later, the girl in question was all that his inner court could talk about.

Her name was Massika, she was part of the main temple of Anubis in Hardai, protégée of High Priest Atem, and close friend with the traveling mysterious one. Her eyes were actually blue and under the incredibly long wig she was wearing, you could find hair as bright as the sun.

She was, according to some of the Magicians and Sacred men of the Court, quite skilled at performing certain rituals and a complete mess at guiding some minor ceremonies, she was good at organizing events as shown by the latest festival and was pretty well loved by the people of the city.

She was an orphan, and nobody knew where she came from, as she was rescued from the debris after the great monsoon several years back.

The rest of the information he gathered was quite useless in his opinion, especially since some of it was based on speculations and rumours with little to no fundament. However, what he did paid attention to, was which was the next festival she would attend and how.

He needed to plan something to get close to the girl, "it seems like _Akh, the nobleman _might need to make an appearance soon…"


	3. Wepet Renpert

**Wepet Renpert **

**(The New Year)**

_Chapter Summary: Wepet Renpert was the Opening of the Year - This was the New Year's Day celebration._

* * *

_IUNU (Heliopolis)_

The appearance of the brightest star in the sky after 70 days of absence was the only warning Egyptians got before the floods of the New Year began.

This star's appearance is also the announcement of the start of the Wepet Renpet Festival, the end of the five days of darkness and the start of a New Year.

Priests and priestess from all over the kingdom were gathered in the City of the Sun God, waiting for its rebirth during sunrise. This time, the ones presiding over the ceremony were the high priestesses from the Temples of Isis and Nephthys, since most of the main ritual was in theirs to perform.

Moments before sunrise was supposed to start, the priestess, prompted noblemen and other sacred people to start the procession to the river.

As the representation of Osiris in Land, the Pharaoh was leading the procession; on his left side, the Priestess of Isis, in representation of Osiris mythical sister-wife. Behind her, the priestess of Nephthys was carrying the sacred scrolls and besides her, a representative of the sacred men of the Palace.

Then, came the rest of the noblemen, as well as the dancers, the performers and the people who were to offer a feast to the people.

When dusk was giving way to twilight, the priestess disengaged from the rest of the group and approached the Nile. At the first sign of light coming from the horizon, they started to chant.

_"I am Nephthys, your beloved sister! Your foe is fallen, he shall not be! I am with you, your body-guard, for all eternity".*_

As more rays of sunlight started to appear, the chanting continued. Little by little, the sun started to rise. The ritual was perfectly timed, and by the time the priestess of Isis said _"Come to your courtiers, King our Lord!", _S unris e was already upon them.

Their combined _"Lo, He Comes!" _marked the moment when the sun fully rose up. It was then that the festivities began.

Music started suddenly, and with it, the dancers began to perform some intricate dances that were well known by the people.

Soon, food and beer was being distributed, both by the people of the pharaoh and by the rest of the people who brought things to share with everybody.

Some brought gifts to the pharaoh's tent, some in hopes to see the man themselves and some just because he was an Egyptian too who deserved to join in the party spirit.

The man, however, was nowhere to be found, and if not because everybody saw him at the beginning of the ritual, some would have thought that he was not actually there to join in.

Thinking that probably the man was somewhere among the throngs of people, those searching for him quickly forgot about him, and decided to better enjoy everything that was happening.

* * *

_"Wepet Renpet Nefert!" _

_"Wepet Renpert Nefert to you too!" _

Avoiding another couple dancing, the young pharaoh in disguise was trying his best to blend among the people, and trying to not bring to their attention that he was not actually comfortable in the rather simple clothes he was wearing.

They were still ceremonial robes designed for this exact festivity, in white and red, but they were not as soft as he'd have wanted. The jewelry he was wearing was not as lavish, and the sandals he borrowed were not as comfortable as the ones he left behind on his tent.

Then again, he could not risk being discovered in his secret endeavor because of something so simple.

Trying to remember everything he learned about his mysterious priestess, he started to look for her among the dancers and other performers. When that was rendered fruitless, he started to look at food tables, sing stations and even small temple posts to see where he could find her.

Two hours later and she was nowhere to be found.

He briefly contemplated the possibility that his Intel was wrong, and that people from the Anubis temple on Hardai were not actually attending the festival at Iunnu. Still, he was sure they would have at least sent a representative in case they were unable to attend, since it could be seen as an offence to the deities of the day.

He sighed audibly, admitting defeat in his secret endeavors and resigning himself to hear the gossip of his courtiers or the complaints of some of the noblemen lounging in his tent were sure to make.

It was then that he collided with _Her. _

He was distracted and she was running from something. And by the time he felt the collision, he was already falling while she was clinging to him.

He noticed some interesting things then. First, her eyes were actually blue, were not a trick of the lights and they were incredibly highlighted by the heavy use of kohl. She was wearing a wig just as long and just as pretty as the one from before. Her dress was of a lovely shade of red, and when she got up after their fall, he noticed that the red and gold jewelry she was wearing make her look like some sort of mythical firebird.

He also noticed that she was prettier than what he originally thought when he first laid eyes on her.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there! Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?"

_"Uh, she's even cute when she's freaking out" _the young Pharaoh thought at seeing her frantically inspect him over for any she may have caused.

"Oh god, I actually broke him! Atem is going to kill me!" Massika wailed in despair, when he did not answer her previous inquiries. It was this sentence which broke the pharaoh from his daydreaming, and made him start to pay attention to the girl again.

He managed to utter a quick "I'm fine, don't worry" when she was about to run again, now in search for help. Turning around to face him, she scrutinized him, trying to decipher if he was telling the truth or was just trying to reassure her before looking for help on his own.

Nodding in acceptance of his statement she promptly introduced herself. When she asked for his name in return, he only hesitated a bit before saying "My name is Akh".

His given name was not common knowledge, especially since most of the people knew him by the name he got on his coronation day, so he was sure it was safe to go by it during his secret stint.

Even better, if things with the girl went as well he was hoping to, he could always argue that he never lied to her regarding his name.

* * *

They talked for the better part of the morning. In fact, once the young Pharaoh managed to shake off his nerves at finally meeting her, he indulged in asking her about anything he could think of.

In return, he fed her his cover story, which was, just as his name, a strange mix of half truths and a couple of lies.

"I live in Memphis, though I am actually from Thebes" he told her when she mentioned she was from Hardai and that he worked with the Pharaoh's closest advisors at her inquiry on what was he doing there.

He told her some stories from his actual childhood after asking her about life in her city and told her about the gardens of Abydos when she mentioned wanting to travel to said city.

They shared food and a couple of drinks. They even joined a group of dancers when they were caught in the middle of an intricate dance.

Everything was, in Akh's opinion, going according to his plans. That is until another known figure found them laughing at some silly thing.

"High Priest Khaba!" Massika suddenly yelled, making the man in question turn around to see who was calling him.

Khaba's sharp gray eyes landed upon them, softening a bit when they spotted the girl. Massika then, proceeded to drag the Pharaoh to where her other friend was, eager to introduce them.

Akh knew something was wrong the moment Massika introduced him, as the priest's eyes hardened in an instant. His gaze was scrutinizing him thoroughly, and making him feel as if he was naked in his eye.

His stoic demeanor was not helping matters and all in all, Akh was left feeling like he was an insignificant being, which was a new and unpleasant sensation for the young Pharaoh.

The sensation left him the moment the priest averted his eyes, deeming him undeserving of his attention.

Akh knew there was something wrong about this guy. And he needed to know exactly what.

* * *

_NOTES: The city known as Heliopolis, used to be known as Iunu, same thing as Hermopolis used to be known as Khmunu. you know, just in case you want to look for those cities._

_Also, our dear Pharaoh in none other than Kaitou Ace._

_* This passage is part of the "Isis and Nephtys Lamentations"_


	4. Tehk Festival

**Tehk Festival **

**(The Feast of the Drunkenness)**

_Chapter Summary: The Feast of Drunkenness: This festival was dedicated to Hathor ('The Lady of Drunkenness') and commemorated the time when humanity was saved from destruction by Beer._

* * *

_KHMUNU_

Communication between "Akh, the Advisor" and Massika continued even after the festival ended; the pharaoh went as far as using one of his most trusted messengers just so he could exchange some words with the girl in question.

The pharaoh became distracted in the middle of meetings, seemed to be spacing out at odd points and he was caught daydreaming once or twice during meals with other nobles. His actual advisors soon noticed this behavior, and confronted him on the identity of the mysterious lady who seemed to have stolen the pharaoh's attention.

His lack of answers made people speculate. Some bets were on a lady of the court, especially one that was known for her coquettish ways and flirty nature. Some other were aiming for maybe a girl in the Harem, wondering if the usually ascetic pharaoh finally found a girl more to his liking there.

There were some that speculated that it might be a peasant girl, though nobody could be sure where or when he could have met such girl.

Either way, with the passing of days, they noticed how the pharaoh became more and more distracted, only paying attention to what was being said if it involved a festival or a religious celebration. This, coupled with his constant disappearances during said events started to give the councilors and advisors some pause.

Nobody had suspected it before, mostly because he was almost never seen with any of the priests or priestess of any god outside of the necessary just for the sake of hanging out. But all the signs pointed to the mysterious girl being someone from religious background.

They needed more data. They also needed to keep better track on where he kept disappearing to during festivals and if there was someone he was meeting in secret in them.

Not only because of curiosity, but because it could even delve into matters of the Kingdom's security.

* * *

The Tekh Festivities were just around the corner, but this time, unlike the rest, the Pharaoh was not as happy as everybody in the court expected, which was a shock actually, since it was one of the most joyous events in the year.

In fact it was the only thing a lot of people were talking about, priests and priestess from the temples of Re, Hathor and Sekhmet were already planning on how everything was going to play out.

Two days before the actual celebration, recreation establishments and barley farms would be selling all kinds of beer to be used during the festival. Afterwards, there would be parties all over the kingdom, where all kinds of activities would be held for everybody to enjoy.

Which was the main problem, in Pharaoh Ahmose's opinion. Beer consumption had to be indoors, and something to be solemnly shared with family, close friends and important people. And the parties were a _local _affair, meaning he had no excuse to sneak out to meet with his lovely priestess for an evening of all kinds of fun.

Adding a layer to his righteous indignation was the fact that part of the fun activities that would have place was a visit to his personal Harem, where he would share some good moments with his concubines and any other lady or men of the court who were still single and wanted to have a pleasurable time enjoying themselves.

Any other day, it would be something to look forward to. This year he only wanted _her. _He wanted to hold her tightly, run his fingers through every inch of her skin; to discover what made her tick and what makes her moan. To watch her expressions of ecstasy and pleasure.

Instead, he got to share these moments with plain women, along with lesser men. And while still enjoyable, the mere thought of it left him with the sense of something missing.

There was nothing he could do about it. He was on Khmunu, she was on Hardai.

With a sigh, he tried to hide his disappointment while willing away the arousal the thought of her among his sheets provoked. He still had a country to rule.

* * *

_HARDAI_

The Tekh Festivities were just around the corner and Massika was eager for them to come. As part of her duties, she had already arranged for the temple to be provided with large amounts of Beer, brewed from different types of hops and with interesting types of brewing processes.

She was not exactly looking forward to drinking the night away, even if she sort of liked the taste of some of the most exotic beers she could get. The fact that she sometimes loses a bit of control whenever this festival came around was not exactly something she would like to remember, and the horrible sickness for the following morning was an experience she could happily live without. Still, she knew that no matter what, since it was a formal affair, she was safe while still at the temple.

What she was quite eager about, was the celebration and festivities planned for the next day.

The day would start whenever the first of them woke up. Then the sound of the ceremonial drums would help wake up the rest of the population of Hardai and once the ceremonial toast for Hathor and the lighting of the torches were done, the party would start.

There were already some musicians hired to play their music all around the city, along with some performers and and food vendors. All in all,everything was already coordinated with the rest of the temple people of the city about what they would do and how to go about it.

And Massika was really excited.

Better yet, she had on good authority that High Priest Khaba would be in attendance this year for the Tekh Festival and she was really looking forward to spend the evening with him, dance a bit and share a drink (or five) with him. If she was lucky, she could even convince him to take their party to a more private place.

But first things first.

She needed to finish her duties of the day, and then she needed to find the perfect outfit for the occasion.

Turning around to keep mixing some of the oils used for embalming, her eyes fell upon the scroll she received a couple days ago. After a rather enjoyable evening talking and dancing during Wepet Renpet, Akh asked for her address in order to keep in touch. He said that he wanted to get to know her better, and that maybe exchanging some words now and then would help them with it. She agreed with him, thinking he was just half serious.

The truth was, he was really serious.

It had only been a couple of months since Wepet Renpet, and he had already sent her at least 6 scrolls. The messenger was supposed to wait for her answer before returning to wherever Akh was supposed to be at the moment.

It was nice, but it was a bit suffocating. And she was glad he would not be there for the Tekh.

Aloud, she said "I really need to answer that scroll soon…" before deciding to just leave it for the time being. What she really needed was to finish these oils before Atem decided to murder her and use them on her.

* * *

_KHMUNU_

The arrival of several boxes of beer to the palace was the first announcement that Tehk was upon them. The almost frantic pacing of several of the priests and priestess going in and out of the palace was the second one. There was no denying it when, by midday, one of the maidens asked him if he was to spend Tehk's eve alone or in the company of the rest of the council members.

He would have preferred to spend it alone, using the beer as an excuse to wallow in his misery, but his station made him unable to do so.

He gave the maiden a fake but convincing smile and told her to please announce to his councilors and advisors that he would join them by the time the sun was setting in the main hall of the palace. As an afterthought, he asked her to please extend the invitation to any holy people that would be in the palace by that time.

Ahmose went on with daily routine as if it was any other day; he looked over some proposals for construction of working centers, revised some of the latest trade agreements he had with lands nearby and was even witness to the mediation between two struggling parties over a portion of land.

However, his mood was turning sourer with the mere passing of time. He tried to disguise it, as he consciously knew his foul mood was not fault of any of the people surrounding him. But he was still feeling irritated.

He knew that the Tehk festivities were a solemn affair, and that he was not supposed to be thinking on interesting ways to spend his inebriated state with someone during this particular celebration. His brain -and his instincts- were not really in agreement on this.

The afternoon was finally coming to an end, which only meant that he was soon expected to make his way towards the main hall where servants and some of the lesser priests of the temples of Hathor and Sekhmet had arranged the beer and the food that was to be consumed during the night.

As the human representation of Osiris, King of the Gods, he was considered the Highest Priest of the Temples all along Kemet, and as such he was the one to announce, at least in this city, the beginning of the ceremonies for the Goddess Sehkmet.

With a resigned sigh, he began his walk.

* * *

Unknown to the Pharaoh, several councilors and noblemen were quite eager for the Tehk festival to arrive, and contrary to what one could expect, it had nothing to do with the beer, the food or the party the following day.

Or well, maybe it had to do with the beer, but not because a real desire to drink the night away. Their real motivation laid within the Pharaoh's desires.

They were planning on taking advantage of the Pharaoh's loose tongue while drinking to get him to spill the reason behind his frankly odd behavior.

Or rather, they would make him tell them who is that managed to steal his attention so thoroughly.

Some could argue that they were tired of him spacing out in the middle of an important meeting, or that they saw the need for an actual queen to finally take the throne beside him.

But underneath it all, they were looking for someone to control. Someone who they could manipulate or at least sweet talk into convincing the Pharaoh into agreeing to their requests. They needed someone who could be used as counterweight of the absolute power of the Ruler of the land.

They could try to force him into marrying someone of their choosing, but they knew that if that was the case, the girl in question would never have any power over the Ahmose.

So they designed this plan, and they were quite confident in it.

* * *

By sunset, everything was set in the main hall; everybody was waiting for the Pharaoh to arrive so the vigil of the celebrations could begin.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, there was not a lot that had to be done for this part of the celebration to do, except to offer a prayer to Sekhmet, as a thank you for humanity's continued existence, and then to make a simple toast so everybody could start with their drinks.

Initially, the Pharaoh was seated by himself in a rather big table, where once upon a time, his parents and some of their siblings would come and sit while drinking their beverages. Now, his parents were dead and the rest of his relatives were part of the council or were ruling cities of the kingdom, so nobody was really there to share the Space.

It was then that the Pharaoh started to daydream again. And it was then that the councilors set their plan in motion.

One by one, the noblemen starter to join him at his table, encouraging him to drink some more beer or even presenting him a new glass themselves so he did not have to move to get it. They were careful to make him drink while making the illusion that they were also drinking.

A couple of hours later, and the questions began.

They started with simple matters, like funny memories or stories to remember, just to assert how far gone the Pharaoh was. Then they started to ask about people they knew, updating him about gossip that ran along the palace's walls and finally, they started to probe the actual knowledge they were seeking out.

And the unsuspecting Pharaoh spilled everything. He told them about priestess Massika, about the temple and city where she served, about her looks and her likes. He spent almost half an hour describing her beautiful eyes lined with Kohl and the way her wigs were beautifully coordinated with the rest of her outfits.

Never mind he had only seen her twice.

The councilors and noblemen were taking mental notes on everything the Pharaoh was telling them, while mentally preparing a plan to get to this girl and bring her to the palace.

By the time the Pharaoh's comments regarding the girl started to get a bit too crude, he was also about to fall asleep. One of the noblemen prompted him to finish a glass of beer that was near and a few minutes later, the pharaoh knew no more.

"Gentlemen, we have a marriage to arrange" the oldest of the group declared.

* * *

_HARDAI_

Even though the faint sound of the ceremonial drums rouse her from sleep, Massika was reluctant to move from her bed. The fact that the sound of said drums was aggravating her splitting headache, only made her more determined to never leave her place and hide away forever.

She knew that was an impossible endeavor, but she still wished she could actually do it.

Sitting up on her bed, she proceeded to look for the outfit she selected for this special occasion. Her kalasiris was made of an almost see-through white linen, though she selected a vibrant yellow undershirt to go with it. She picked a sash that was made of red and orange thread, with small crystals that reflected the light while walking.

She also chose a rather large collar, made with rubies, orange and yellow citrine, and garnet. Everything was interwoven with gold, creating the figure of a phoenix embracing her shoulders.

Jewelry at her arms and wrists matched this design.

Finally her wig was one of her shorter ones. It had several braids with little golden beads that hanged on the sides but were also woven to form some kind of circlet on her head.

All in all, she looked shiny. And she was sure more than one person would look her way while she danced the morning away.

She only hoped that the one person she wanted to impress was pleased with her outfit.

After checking herself over for the nth time, she decided there was not much she could do to her appearance. So took a really deep breath and marched outside of the temple.

There was a festival to enjoy, and a High Priest to find.

* * *

Midday was fast approaching, and there was no sign of her High Priest.

She knew he was there, since she saw him earlier during the prayers for Hathor and the burning of the morning torches that marked the beginning of the second part of the Tehk Festival. She tried to look for him immediately afterwards, but it was as if he simply vanished. She searched for him for about an hour before deciding to enjoy the festival while looking out for him.

So she danced a lot, drank one or two glasses of beer and other brews, sang with a band and played some games with children of the community. And there was no sign of him.

She was about to give up on her search and just try to drown her frustration with beer when she finally saw him, practically hiding behind the pillars of the main temple of Anubis.

He was no longer in the black and white robe he wore for the main ceremony, and his usual black, Anubis mask was also missing giving Massika a clear view of his face and Gray eyes lined with kohl. He was now wearing a white and gold Shendyt , with a sash made mostly of gold with black and red accents. Holding it in place was the image of a golden scarab. His arms were covered in golden vambraces and his leather sandals were tall enough to brush with the lower part of his shendyt.

As a priest of his rank, he could forgo the ceremonial wigs some of the population was so fond of and instead he was allowed to wear a headdress that matched the rest of his jewelry, which was also in black, gold and red.

He looked majestic. Even better, his outfit matched hers.

For a moment, she debated on playing coy and just dance in front of him without really acknowledging him until he reached out to her for a dance, but finally decided that there was already a lot of wasted time and she really wanted to spend some time with him.

She steeled herself and walked towards him, thinking that maybe she could take him by surprise if she was stealthy enough to sneak up on him.

He noticed her not two steps later, and did not look away while she approached. Her greeting then turned more open and happy, which prompted a small but fond smile on him.

They tried to make some small talk, though with the time they had known each other, they quickly left the simple topics behind before launching into more complicated discussions.

It was during one of these that a band of musicians passed near them, which prompted Massika to ask him for a dance. Said dance, quickly turned to two more and before they knew, they had danced together for the better part of the afternoon.

They were happy together; they were drunk on beer and on each other. Sometimes, he circled her waist with his hand while talking, or she would hold his hand while looking for something to eat or drink. Then there were the times when she would press her nose to his neck while dancing which only made him hold her tighter.

By the time the sun was setting and the festival was coming to an end, neither could be apart from the other.

It was during one of those times where she pressed herself against him while dancing that he finally kissed her. It was a sweet, but brief thing. The tentative kiss of someone unsure of the willingness of the other person. Of someone asking permission for more. Massika just smiled at him and kissed him again.

* * *

Light filtering through his bedroom window announced to him that a new day had arrived. The warm body beside him, a sweet reminder of what happened the night before and how much they enjoyed their activities.

His companion was still asleep beside him, holding him in a half embrace as if making sure he wouldn't disappear in the middle of the night, which sadly was something that could have happened.

Not that he wanted to, though.

Running his fingers along her naked back, he remembered what happened the night before, or more specifically, the conversation he forced them to have before engaging in something more than a few hot kisses in the privacy of his room.

"I'm not just a traveling priest and master of embalming practices for the Temple of Anubis, but the actual deity" he began his tale, recounting how he and several others did not leave Kemet when the rest of the gods retreated to other planes of existence. He told her of his role, the expectations of his job and why there were times when nobody could reach him. "I need to go back from time to time to the Duat, to pass judgment on the souls".

He explained that even if they wanted to pursue something more than what they already have, they could not have a future together, at least not in this plane of existence.

He also told her that he loved her, that he had for a time now, and that he probably always would.

She was speechless for the better part of his confession, making him fear that perhaps, what he got from her until that point would be the only thing he would ever have, and that the wonderful evening they shared earlier would be just a bittersweet memory for centuries to come.

He wouldn't force her to do anything, so he would abide to her wishes, whatever they were.

Understandably, she was mad, but she still wanted to be with him, even if they could not have a fairy tale love story.

His musings were interrupted by her moving a bit in his embrace which told him that anytime now she would be waking up. When she did, the smile that painted her lips at seeing him made his heart skip a bit.

The temptation to kiss her again was too strong to resist, and before long, they were sharing something more than kisses and caresses.

Their regular morning activities, it seemed would start later than expected.


	5. Plots and Plans

**Of Plots and Plans **

**(Interlude)**

_Chapter Summary: A mastaba is a large rectangular structure that was used as a type of tomb, often for royalty, in Ancient Egypt._

* * *

_THEBES_

Using the excuse of several public works were in the development stages, including the Mastaba for the Pharaoh, the members of the Pharaoh's council convinced him to make a small tour along Kemet.

They argued that he needed to personally see what was going on on these construction sites, make sure that everything was going according to plans and projections. They also convinced him to visit some other cities along the way to show the population that he was interested in their needs and wants.

So, an official statement was made, announcing the cities that would soon be visited by the Pharaoh and his entourage, the reason behind said visit, its duration and what could they expect from it afterwards.

They would be visiting a total of 7 cities; curiously enough, Hardai was among them.

The unofficial reason behind the visit, was because of the Council's was attempting to gather more information about this mysterious girl that the Pharaoh was so so fond of. They would need to know who she was, who was she related to, how affable or difficult she could be, if she had any lover and so on.

They had already organized a group of spies to get this information and would be reporting back to them in the guise of communication from the capital. Their stop on Hardai was just to make sure that the Pharaoh was still interested in the girl and, if possible, to watch their interaction with one another.

They were hoping that this little trip only helped to further their plans to seize power, and by the end of the year, they would be announcing a royal wedding.

* * *

Days quickly morphed into weeks, and before Ahmose knew it, he was leaving Thebes to go on a trip along Kemet. His entourage -which consisted in almost half of his council and several of his advisors- had been outside of the palace for some time now, giving last time instructions both to the servants that would accompany them and to those who would be in charge of their business while away.

They were also looking over everything he might use during the trip, organizing his personal servants and telling them where and how to pack his items. It was highly efficient, even if a bit annoying.

Someone once told him that it was unwise to make any decision while in anger, in love or desperate. Sadly, Ahmose was now discovering the reason behind the saying.

When a couple of weeks ago, several members of the council approached him to discuss a visit to several cities within the kingdom, he thought that the idea of traveling to all those places at once, was going to be more bothersome than productive. When they mentioned that they also wanted to visit several other cities that were in route to their next destination, he thought that it would not only be bothersome but incredibly boring and tedious.

Then, then they had to mention the places they would go and he was immediately sold. The mere mention of Hardai among the cities to visit just because, sent a jolt of excitement through his entire body. The idea of visiting Massika in her city, of seeing her again, and spending time in her company was reason enough to approve for the council's wishes.

Those thoughts were enough to keep him awake for several nights and daydreaming for several days more.

Now, mere minutes before departing to the first city, he was deeply regretting saying yes to this whole endeavor. Now, seeing how they were in charge of everything made him realize that he could not pack his commoner robes to visit the girl. Even better, if he was to visit her city, he would have to come clean with her or avoid her like the plague to keep up with his ruse.

He would lose either way.

Then, there was the matter of why he would be visiting Hardai. Maybe if it was just a social visit, like it would happen at Bubastis he could play it with restrictions of who could get an audience with the Pharaoh, but since it was to oversee the works of some of the Statues for the Temple of Anubis, he would have to meet with the people of said temple. That, obviously included Massika.

And then, there was the Strange Traveling Priest.

He was still felt ill at the thought of his brief interaction with the man, and he definitely was not looking forward to more interactions like that with him. He just hoped that, since he was basically a nomad, that he would be away during his visit to the city.

That still did not solve his predicament regarding Massika.

Hardai would be the fifth city to visit; that would give him about a fortnight to figure out things. Meanwhile, he needed to study, even if briefly, what he was actually supposed to do during this trip before departing to the first city.

* * *

_THE DUAT_

Contrary to what Anubis do, regarding his own cult and religious practices, Thot sometimes liked to mingle among scribes from all places along Kemet, just for the fun of it. Sometimes, it was to get a better grasp of what was needed in regards to the laws of the kingdom or sometimes because he was bored and wanted to do something while there were no souls to judge and Anubis was away.

However, his main motivation to mingle around with the "commoners" was not as noble or as responsible as one might think. In fact it was far from it. His main reason was just because he loved gossip.

In Thot's opinion, there was no better way to know what was actually going on than to pay attention to gossip. It was also the best way to know when someone was not being as truthful or as forthcoming; all he had to do was start a rumor mill and wait for the results on the matter.

It was also the best way to gather any kind of information, even if there were times he did not know what to do with it.

A clear example of that, was what he heard a couple of days earlier, while exchanging gossip with the scribes of the main council. Perhaps the councilors thought they were being discrete, though going by what their scribes were talking, that was not the case. They were planning on getting the Pharaoh a bride, so he could be distracted while they got to do what they wanted.

The scribes went as far as telling him who they were hoping to get, how they would go about it and the time table to accomplish their goals. All of it, labeled as near state secret.

Any other time, it would find it amusing, especially since he knew that the girl in question was anything but meek and docile. In fact he knew that she was quite headstrong when she set her mind on something and was quite determined to do things right.

He had to concede she was an airhead too, but still.

Any other time, he would be looking forward to seeing the council butting heads with her, trying to convince her of something she would be strongly opposed to, and to see how they were cursing themselves for their foolish gamble gone wrong.

The fact of the matter, however, was who else would be affected.

After hearing the news, he decided to retreat back to the Duat, hoping that putting some physical distance from the source of the news would give him some clarity. He knew he had to tell Anubis what was going on, and what to expect from all this ordeal.

He knew he was in love with the girl, and as far as he knew, already pursuing something with her. He also knew that, if the council managed to convince the Pharaoh to arrange the marriage with the girl, there wouldn't be a way to stop it from happening unless they blew their cover.

they were not supposed to still be walking among men, unless it was

It was a delicate situation. He needed to plan accordingly.

He just hoped he could have some words with his fellow god before all of this blew up in their faces.

* * *

_HARDAI_

News of the imminent tour of the Pharaoh traveled particularly fast, specially for those cities that were included on the tour. On Hardai however, since the visit's main concerns were related to the works around the expansion of the temple of Anubis, the notice arrived there first.

This announcement fell first on Atem's hands who, upon a first glance, knew it would only mean problems to his loved ones. Still, in a rather discreetly way he handed it over to Khaba, so he could decide what to do with it.

They threw a worried glance towards where they knew Massika was fixing some linen for a later use,just to be sure she would not eavesdrop on their conversation.

They knew that the Pharaoh would eventually manifest itself to observe and approve of the works on the temple, but they thought it would be a simple and quick affair, followed by a grand festival where the ruler would sneak like he always did so he could meet with their girl.

The nature of the visit however, left no room for these kind of escapades, which most likely would end up blowing up the cover of the Pharaoh, something that could have several consequences, not of which could end well for them.

"How do you suggest we proceed? Should we let her find out about our imminent visitor?" Atem asked his companion while twisting his mouth in disgust.

Once upon a time, when he learnt about this strange "friendship" between a supposed scribe of the court and Massika, and Khaba told him exactly who this Scribe was, they were worried how Massika would react when she eventually learned of his identity, especially since they thought that she might develop romantic feelings towards him. Now, they were still worried, but not because of heartbreak.

They were worried about her reaction to betrayal.

Not a lot of people had noticed and those who had, had been so confused about it that they wrote things off as coincidences. However, Atem and Khaba were well aware that, whenever someone ended crossing her for an unjustified reason, a lot of misfortune tended to fall to said person and everybody close to them.

It was an oddity they still could not properly explain, but because of this, they were worried about her reaction when she eventually found out about the Pharaoh's deceit.

"Maybe, you should just take her with you and make your next trip earlier than planned" Atem stated, still frowning a bit, but with each passing second, a look of determination replaced his earlier worry and uncertainty.

"I don't know what game the Pharaoh is playing, but I am not going to expose Massika to it." Atem then looked at Khaba with a completely serious face, and a dangerous glint in his eyes, conveying the importance of what he was about to say "I'm going to need your help to shelter her from him as as best as possible"

"You know you can always count on me for everything, my friend. And if that includes keeping Massika safe…" there was no need for Khaba to finish that sentence. His cold eyes and devious smirk told Atem everything he deeded to know.

* * *

_Notes: _

_Introducing Thoth, who as part of a Joke with SmokingBomber will sometimes fluctuate between being Thot and Thoth._


	6. Traveling

**Traveling **

**(Sneaky people are Sneaky)**

_Chapter Summary: For ancient egyptians their country was known as Kemet, which means 'Black Land', so named for the rich, dark soil along the Nile River where the first settlements began._

* * *

_IPET-ISU_

The first stop in their tour was at Ipet-Isu. The visit to this city would last about a week, and they were supposed to visit the temples of Amun, Mut and Konshu.

Upon arrival, the Pharaoh and his entourage were informed about the rumours of invaders trying to sneak past some of the walls of the main temples, a situation that was also replicated on Wasset. And how, some days before the start of their trip, a wall was demolished on the side of a minor temple and some of the relics being stolen from there.

There was nobody in sight, the apparent culprits fleeing the scene after the theft.

At the Pharaoh's question of why he was not notified earlier, the governor of the city answered in a not overly worried way that, since he knew that they would most likely be on his way to the city, there was no need to send a messenger in advance.

The Pharaoh's original plan only involved passing by the city, talk for a bit with the governor say some prayers and conduct a public hearing with some of the citizens to show that he actually "cares" about their Concerns. Now, it would have to address deeper things than anticipated and the Pharaoh was not exactly fine with the situation.

Later that day once he settled in his chambers, he summoned his closest advisors to start addressing this matter. Mostly however, he made his displeasure on the Governors attitude known.

"But majesty, you would eventually have to address this issue, it is better that you are now here and could see things with your own eyes rather than having to rely on the descriptions of people and scribes that could sometimes be borderline exaggerated " one of them said,not entirely afraid of the Pharaoh's apparent ire.

Moving in front of the rest, the same man decided to expose to his king how, even if he had known about this situation beforehand, he would have been unable to do anything and might have only resulted in an even more uncomfortable trip to their first city.

Ahmose was not pleased with it, but saw reason in the advisor's words. Upon asking if there were already actions being taken regarding an investigation on the theft, another of his advisors told him that local authorities had been interrogating possible witnesses.

"All their declarations seemed to point to the traveling people of the lands beyond Punt" another advisor commented, looking worriedly to the pharaoh's restlessness.

"Are we certain of this?" Ahmose frowned a bit, before he began to pace.

"According to witnesses," a third adviser began, "days before the first attempt on the temples, there were people with long robes and heavy clothes, that spoke a strange language that sounded like grunts. A day or two before the attack, these people seemed to have vanished without a trace. Then the attacks began"

"We'll need to send someone to investigate in that direction. Also we'll need to alert authorities on cities nearby so that they are on alert in case of a similar attack" Ahmose declared before moving to the door to ask for a the city's chief messenger and his personal scribe.

Before the day was over, the notice was sent. It should be reaching the cities of Dendera, Edfu, Khnum and Nekhen before the third day.

"I can't believe that this cursed trip is only beginning…" was Ahmose tired sigh once he was alone again in his room.

* * *

The attempt on the temple was the perfect excuse for some of the councilmen traveling with the Pharaoh to put their plan into motion. The spies were already sent to Hardai, and now they needed to gauge the Pharaoh's disposition to relax in the arms of one or many maidens.

The idea was to wear him down enough, to annoy him enough about him not seeking any kind of company to relieve some stress that when the idea of a marriage came to the front, he was more open to it, especially if he was given the illusion of him picking his bride.

Not that they would really let him choose, but it was the principle of the matter.

The first day, once they knew the advisors were out of his chambers, they sent a group of girls to him, all with similar features of what they knew he liked on a woman. They had instructions of pleasing their king to the best of their abilities.

The girls returned within the hour, with news of how the Pharaoh was interested at first but after some time, he just dismissed them without a glance.

"You're not what I really need tonight" was apparently what he told them before dismissing them.

The second night, after he came back from the first public hearing, they sent a new set of girls, now with different features, but still similar at what they knew the Hardai Girl looked like.

Again, he was interested for a time, but dismissed them nonetheless.

On the third morning, during a somewhat lighthearted reunion with the rest of the council, they asked him if he enjoyed the presents they sent his way to alleviate his stress. It was clear, thanks to his stutter, that he was looking for a way to tell them not to keep sending them, without looking like he was not interested.

They ignored his subtle attempts, and that night sent them another set of girls.

The plan seemed to be working. Now all they needed was information and patience.

* * *

_DENDERA_

The trip to Dendera was rather uneventful. For a moment, the Pharaoh and his entourage were worried they were going to be attacked by the mysterious people that attacked Ipet-Isu. Fortunately, it did not happen, and the only thing their worries accomplished was to drain them of their energy.

By the time they finally reached the city, all they wanted to do was to sleep for a while and forget about everything. Then again, the moment they saw a welcome committee waiting for them outside of the City Hall, they knew that rest and actual sleep would be far away still.

Ipuki, Dendera's governor, was not one of Ahmose's favorite people, mostly because he was too blunt to the point of rudeness. The man was frugal with his words and was not of the habit of talking unless it was completely necessary. Today however, his bluntness was a trait that he sincerely appreciated, he was not in the mood for hollow pleasantries.

Ipuki briefly told them about the state of the city, the most relevant affairs and the general population's opinion on the last taxes regulations. Which was not as good as expected but it was holding up.

For a moment, Ahmose thought Ipuki would also comment on the organization of the future festivals, especially the one for the goddesses Isis and Hathor. However, the governor simply told him that he understood that they might be tired from the trip and would not want to overwhelm them with things that could wait another day.

Even if Ahmose tried not to show it, something in his voice should have betrayed his fatigue considering the knowing gaze Ipuki sent his way.

They were shown where their quarters were and where their servants stayed. Final instructions were given and after a bit, the only thing that reigned in the visitors quarters was silence and the occasional snore.

* * *

The visit to the Sanatorium was scheduled to be in the early hours of the Morning, just a few minutes after the sun rose on the horizon. The original idea was to visit some of the patients there, hear some of them out and ask around about the state of the health services.

Once there, and since there was a visiting convoy of youngsters training to become healers, the pharaoh and his entourage stayed with them and let them ask whatever questions they had about the city, they government or even about their faith.

By the time they finally moved to the Hathor and Isis Temple most of the day was gone and they could only visit the temple grounds superficially. They talked about the works made during the Last Pharaoh's reign, and how they were incorporated into what was already there. They also talked about the expansion of the sacred pool and the rituals held there in years past.

They were supposed to talk about the incoming festival during the day too, but since Ipuki wanted the Pharaoh to see what was being prepared inside the temple, they decided to move those talks to the next day.

It was during the visit to the temple where some of the councilors mentioned as an afterthought that it was a shame there was no heir to the throne in sight, and that the kingdom would definitely benefit to having a queen to lead the festivals for the feminine deities.

Ahmose remained silent in the outside; on the inside however, wondered if he was ready to actually commit to have a queen or would prefer to keep playing around with his harem. The unbidden image of a smiling Massika made him think that perhaps he would be willing to finally settle down.

His smile did not go unnoticed by the other councilors, who exchanged conspiratorial smiles between them.

* * *

_ABYDOS_

They left Dendera after a last visit to the Isis and Hathor temple, setting route to Abydos and the valley of the Kings. They briefly considered passing through Naqada, adding it to their already set itinerary, but in the end decided against it, arguing that it was better to get to Abydos as soon as possible.

They reached the City of Osiris just a few minutes before sunset, and just like before, they were greeted by the governor and some of the nobility of the place.

This time, they were shown to their quarters first and invited to a feast that would double as meeting time so they could get the Pharaoh caught on the affairs of the city. Considering that the last meal they made was several hours ago, they greatly appreciated the gesture.

Aside from the main dishes served during the diner, there were lots of beer and dried fruits to sample, and once Metjen, the governor of the place ended with his report of affairs, and once he promised to give the Pharaoh a tour of the building site of his own temple, he announced that the fun was about to begin.

The sound of soft music being produced down the hall reach their ears, making them turn around just in time to see the doors open and a line of dancers enter the room. There were men and women moving their hips around to the rhythm of the music, each one as alluring as the previous ones.

Ahmose's councilors looked ecstatic to see that they would not need to plot something while staying in the city, since it seemed that Metjen's reputation as a wild party man was actually truth.

* * *

_NOTES:_

_The city of Ipet Isu in now known as Karnak._

_And in case you missed it:_

_Ahmose / Akh: Ace_


	7. Distressing News

**Distressing News**

**(Don't Shoot the Messenger)**

_Chapter Summary: Thoth is the Egyptian god of writing, magic, wisdom, and the moon. He was one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt_

* * *

_HARDAI_

It had been some days after the notice of the Pharaoh's journey arrived, and both Atem and Khaba were trying to come with an excuse for Massika to leave the town with Khaba for some time. So far, only the actual truth would do, especially since for some strange reason, Massika seemed to be getting involved in all sorts of banal activities that were, at least in her eyes, really important for her to complete.

During one of these attempts to remove her from the town Khaba got a rather… interesting visit. A boy that was more on the thin side of things, with hair completely tucked under a white and blue linen headdress, and a self-assured smirk that promised a great deal of trouble.

At first, both Massika and Atem felt wary of this strange boy's presence, though considering he was wearing the robes of the Pharaoh's main group of scribes, they decided that whatever he came to talk about with the High Priest must have been important.

Unfortunately for all the parties involved, Khaba was out of the temple leading the death ceremony of the wife of some rich trader of the city, and as such, the boy was left waiting in the company of the other two.

In the end, curiosity got the better of Massika, who decided that this boy was more interesting than her actual temple chores, so with her sunniest smile on her face, she walked over to where they boy was patiently waiting for Khaba to return.

Once the boy noticed her, he answered her smile with one of his own, though his was equal parts amused and annoyed; by the time she started to talk, or more accurately to interrogate him, the amusement he felt was more than evident on his smiles and his face.

There were some knowing smiles there too, though since Massika was not sure what they were about, she decided to let them slide for the moment.

It took them less than half an hour to be on a first name basis, and were already teasing each other mercilessly as if they had been friends for years and not have met only an hour before.

* * *

It was nearing sunset by the time Khaba was able to go back to the temple. He knew that he would only be there for a few hours before he had to go to the Duat to perform his duty as a judge of souls. It was not something he was really looking forward, though the idea of talking for a bit with Thoth made it somewhat bearable.

Just as he was about to open the door to the main room, a pair of familiar voices reached his by the conversation, it seemed they had been chatting for a while…

"Oh for the love of… Seker, please tell me you let that poor boy down gently?"

"Why should I? He was being a pest I needed to get rid of! In fact my dear Massika, you should try it sometime, I'm sure it would help you with one or ten of your 'secret admirers'"

For a moment, Khaba considered to hear more about what they were talking about, but decided against it and instead interrupted their conversation by loudly opening the door.

Seker and Massika were sitting around the table, with a pair of beer glasses near them and some fruit that looked like it was more than halfway to being completely gone. Massika's bracelets and rings were discarded on the other side of the table, and Seker's linen headdress was lying at his feet, a clear sign that their chat was, at least by now, mostly fueled by the beer they had been consuming for quite some time.

It was an amusing image, if a bit terrifying if he thought of the consequences of this encounter.

Khaba decided to make his presence known to the other two by clearing his throat. The reaction was instantaneous and a bit humorous. On one side, the smile Massika gave him was so bright and so happy that it left Khaba a bit lightheaded just by looking at it. On the other side, the unimpressed stare, coupled with the rise of an eyebrow and a sardonic smirk was the only greeting he received from his long time friend.

Khaba decided to pick a glass of beer for himself before joining in their conversation. Turns out it was mostly gossip from people neither of them actually knew, but with the way they were telling the stories, Khaba felt as if all of them knew exactly who were talking about.

Some time, and several beers later, Khaba noticed that Massika was looking a bit tired, and that her speech was turning out a bit slurred, so with a gentle grip and some soft words, he encouraged her to retire to her room to rest.

After a slight pout, and after asking just a bit too loudly if he was going to join her soon, she finally retired for the night.

The amused smile Seker gave him was the only acknowledgement of the rising blush in Khaba's face.

"Well, now that your lovely lady is out, we need to talk". The tone used by Seker while delivering the ominous sentence told Khaba that, whatever they were going to talk about was not something between Priest Khaba and Scribe Seker, but between Anubis and Thoth. Somehow, Khaba knew that he was not going to like whatever his friend had to say.

Nodding in response, Khaba led him to a secluded room where they could talk freely.

* * *

In any normal day, it was a common sight to find people sitting around on the beach during the evenings, watching the waves crash leaving the sand with a fine layer of foam that disappeared just as fast as it appeared.

It was somewhat less common to find people once the sun had set, but there were always the odd ones that enjoyed the chilling of the air and the sound the wind makes with the waves.

Night watchers were quite unusual, but not unheard of. What was not in the least a common occurrence was to find someone sitting in the sand at night, absentmindedly hearing the sounds of the waves and the wind while his sight was lost somewhere between the horizon and the stars.

Then again, the night was clear, the moon was bright and the weather was nice, a perfect combination for a walk around the city or a contemplative moment at the beach.

This particular night, the sight one could find if you were to wander over there for any reason was of a young man sitting on the sand. The light breeze of the ocean was slightly moving his long silver tresses that were shining with the moonlight, and even if they sometimes were obscuring his vision, the figure in question didn't really acknowledge it.

He was lost in his thoughts, allowing the sounds of the sea to lull him into some semblance of calm and tranquility, something he so desperately needed after the news that were delivered earlier that day.

He always knew that his love story with Massika was doomed, what with him being a deity and she being mortal. Still, he at least hoped to be able to spend together as much of her mortal life as possible.

He longed to watch her laugh every day of her life, to watch her obsess over dresses and wigs and to make silly dramas because of a new wrinkle. He longed to see her work and see her fight against people who thought they could manipulate her…

He could still make all of those things, but no longer by her side.

Seker's words were clear and left no room for misinterpretations. The high council of the Pharaoh had chosen her as the Pharaoh's next wife. They only needed to manipulate the Pharaoh into agreeing to it for it to be a fact.

And according to their time table, the arrangement of the marriage and subsequent wedding would be taking place once the tour along Kemet was over and they could announce it properly to the citizens.

There were times when Khaba was glad to have an insider to get hold of all the important tidbits of information of the capital city. Now, however, he was torn between being angry at learning about this development and being grateful because now he had time to come to terms with the eventual ending of his relationship with the love of his life.

* * *

Khaba came back to the temple just before dawn, with his clothes covered in sand and his hair in complete disarray. He expected to find everybody still asleep, or at least still in their rooms before it was time to get up and start with their activities of the day. What he was not expecting was for Seker to be waiting for him at the same table where they met last night.

He was sipping absentmindedly from a steaming cup, his eyes on the horizon that was slowly changing from the dark blues of the night to the purples and pinks that announced the beginning of a new day. For a moment, Khaba thought that he was just up before the rest of the inhabitants of the temple, but upon seeing that there was a second cup of steaming liquid untouched beside the other one, he knew that his friend had been waiting for him to return at any moment.

"I was worried about you, you know? I wasn't sure what you would do with the information I gave you" Seker said without looking back at Khaba. His voice betrayed no emotion, and his posture was a bit too relaxed to be entirely convincing for one that knew him for as long as Khaba had known him.

"I needed to think and to come to terms with it" Khaba told him while sitting on the chair in front of his friend. He then proceeded to take the steaming cup to take a sip only to discover that it was one of Thot's weird infusions.

"And did you?"

"No, but I don't have a choice in the matter anymore. So I will, eventually"

Silence followed that last statement, neither of them were willing to break it with words. Still, the companionship felt was one gained through centuries of friendship and understanding. Of fighting together the same battles and experiencing life in the same manner.

The sun finally started to appear on the horizon, painting everything its light touched in gold and copper tones. When Seker finally turned around to see his companion, his green eyes reflected the light making them look as ethereal as they were supposed to be while in their godly forms.

"You know I will always be there, don't you?"

A small smile and a quiet "I know" was Khaba's only answer.

* * *

_NOTES:_

_In case you missed it:_

_Seker: Thot / Zoisite_


	8. You're breaking my Heart

**You're Breaking my Heart **

**(Please, Hold me tight)**

_Chapter Summary: Those who could afford to do so laid out gardens in front of both their houses and tomb chapels. The gods were even thought to enjoy gardens and so most every temple was surrounded by lush greenery._

* * *

_HARDAI_

There was something odd with the morning, but for the life of her, Massika was unable to point out what.

For a moment, she considered that it might be related with Seker's sudden appearance last night and his insistence to leave earlier that morning. She thought it might have something to do with whatever he and Khaba discussed after she left them and the fact that Khaba never came back to their bed at night.

She even attributed the morning's oddness to the missing spices on the kitchen that made breakfast just a bit too bland.

She decided to let it pass, thinking that whatever it was, it would eventually solve or manifest itself.

It was around midday when she realized that the oddity was, in fact, around Khaba himself.

He was unusually grumpy with the other priests, and was spacing out whenever he was left alone for the briefest amount of time. He was gloomy while working with his oils and seemed just too quiet while working with Atem.

But the most concerning of all, were his smiles.

Khaba had never been someone to smile a lot, in fact he tended to be considered a stoic figure and one of the most serious priests of the Temple of Anubis. Some people even got to fear his temper whenever it showed so if he offered you a smile, was because he was content, with work or with the situation or because he was acknowledging your efforts.

This time however, the smiles were nowhere near sincere nor genuine, and when directed to her, they were just a bit too sad for comfort.

She debated with herself if she should ask him what was wrong, or if she could help him with something but in the end she left him alone, feeling that if he wanted to share what was troubling him he would do so in his own terms and in his own time.

For now, all she could do was wait for that moment to arrive.

* * *

Everyday, at one point in the afternoon, Khaba and Massika got together at the central gardens of the city to share a meal and talk about their days inside and outside of the temple.

Or well, usually, it was Massika who did the talking while Khaba listened attentively to her ramblings. The first time people saw them, they thought he was just humoring her, maybe even faking interest in whatever she was talking about while secretly wishing he were somewhere else.

Those who managed to eavesdrop on their conversation discovered that even if he was not contributing as actively to their conversations, his interest was genuine and even from time to time he would ask her about something or other they discussed on a previous meeting.

As days went by, finding them talking or on rare occasions, laughing together under the shade of a tree was a common occurrence for the visitors of the place.

This day, for the common observer, was no different than the others; however, the reality was quite different this time.

Khaba could see the worry on Massika's eyes, as she had already noticed that something was not o.k. with him, but thankfully, had not tried to pry the reason behind his apparent moodiness. Still, he could see her multiple attempts to cheer him up, since he was not yet ready to share with her what was going on.

He knew that he had to talk to her, and that he had to do it soon. He knew that he had to come clean with a lot of the mysteries that surrounded him, as they were the reason why he was not going to be able to stop what was apparently her fate. He was just not sure how she would take it, or if she would even believe him in the first place.

By the time the sun was starting to set, and they started to pick up the things they used for their regular picnic, he muttered a quiet "We need to talk".

And immediately kicked himself internally, as those doomed words were always the prelude of horrible news. Though what he had to say certainly fell under that category.

She looked at him with surprise and a hint of fear in her eyes, already dreading what was to come, but before she could say anything, he put a finger on her lips while smiling a bit reassuringly. "Not here," he murmured, "what I need to tell you needs a bit of privacy. Come with me to my quarters?"

He saw her take a deep breath, stealing herself before nodding her affirmative. "O.k., Lead the way".

* * *

Even if this was not the first time Massika visited Khaba's personal quarters outside of the temple, she still felt like she was entering some sort of otherworldly space, with how everything was decorated and organized.

She had never been able to determine what made her feel like that, and the only time that she mentioned this to Khaba, he smiled at her before saying that maybe one day she'd understand why.

The area was quite spacious, with a small dining room, a kitchen, a pair of settees covered in fur and colorful linens several potted plants and huge windows that were decorated with intricate patterns on wood. There was another room where he slept whenever he was not at the temple or on a trip, that was just as elegantly decorated as the rest of the house. During the nighttime, everything was illuminated with small torches scattered along the place, making it glow in a rather homey way.

All in all, the place was simple, but elegant and welcome, while also a statement of exactly what was his position in the hierarchy of the temple.

Upon entering, Massika headed towards the settees , while Khaba went to fix them something to drink. Something sweet for her, and something a bit strong for him. And once they were both seated, he started to talk.

For a moment, it seemed as if he was trying to impart her a lesson in history and mythology, telling her stories of how the gods once walked on the same land as humans. He explained that when the humans were capable enough to look after themselves, and had learned the proper way trade, they decided to go back to the place where they came from.

"This is how embalmers learned from Anubis, Scribes from Thoth, warriors from Seth and so on. And it is why the Pharaoh is considered the representation of Osiris on Earth."

"I know all of this, it was you who explained it to me when I was younger."

"Then, you know that the pharaoh's will is considered God's will, and as such it is not possible to contest it unless there is an express manifestation of Ra himself through his seers."

Confused on why this was relevant to them, but humoring him still, Massika nodded her understanding, prompting Khaba to keep going with whatever point he was trying to make.

"Seker's visit was not just to see how I was doing, as it had been some time since we last met." He took a deep breath, contemplating how to deliver what he needed to say next. "His real purpose was to give us a warning on the situation of the capital city. The pharaoh is looking for a wife, and the council already has a candidate".

"But what does that have to do with us?"

"Massika, You are that candidate, and I'm not allowed to intervene in that decision."

A look of horror came upon her, when she understood the gravity of the situation. Her voice broke several times while trying to speak,"But… I don't want to be a Queen! I… I want to keep working on the temple and marry you grow old with you and…"

"But we can't"

"Why not?!"

"Because I'm not even supposed to exist here, let alone challenge the will of the pharaoh!"

This stopped Massika on her tracks, not grasping the meaning behind this statement. She asked for clarification in a desperate attempt to understand why he seemed unwilling to fight for her.

"Have you forgotten why, even if we have known each other for a long time, my physical appearance had not changed that much over the years? Or why is it that, aside from Atem, nobody is able to perform certain ceremonies the same way as I?"

He knew she understood what he was getting at before he uttered the cursed words. "Massika, I am not just the High Priest of the Temple of Anubis. I am ANUBIS." Still, he needed to say them aloud, so there wasn't any doubt.

In the end, this reminder proved to be much for Massika, who simply fled from Khaba's house, completely missing his look of despair at what he understood as a rejection of his nature.

* * *

Some hours later, Massika sneaked back into Khaba's home, hoping that he hadn't left to another place or worse, to another existential plane. A brief examination of the area that was just now only illuminated with the dim light of the moon, showed that all his belongings seemed to still be in their places. The lump on the bed at the end of the room revealed Khaba's location.

She started to approach him while trying to avoid startling him with sudden noises. Once there, she looked him over, trying to discern if he was actually asleep or was just lying there waiting for something. He appeared to be asleep, and the streaks of dried tears on his face told her exactly how much this situation was also affecting him.

While watching him, Massika thought again about their earlier conversation. After she fled his home, her feet brought her to the small beach that was near the outskirts of Hardai. The moonlight was shining upon the sea surface, making it's reflection look like long lines of silver streaking along the surface.

They also looked like Khaba's silver hair when the wind played gently with them.

And so, she sat down near some rocks and actually thought.

She thought of their earlier years, of how he had always been there for her, teaching her, hearing her, helping her. She remembered all those instances where, when she was younger, children of the city teased her because of the weird things that happened around her when she was angry or upset. She remembered how he was always there to cheer for her and to lift up her spirits in his own weird way.

She remembered him teaching her the art of embalming, the prayers, the procedures and the way to prepare oils and linen.

She also remembered their first times going out, originally as just acquaintances, then as friends. She remembered that festival where everything changed, she still believes, for the good. She remembered his gentleness and his passion. His loving ways inside and outside the bedroom and his own unique ways to make her feel loved and special.

She had always known that she loved him, he had been her one and only for a long time. She also knew that he loved her too. But just like he said it earlier, their love might have been doomed from the very start.

She abhorred the notion of parting ways with him, and she was sure he was not faring better. Then again, just as he told her earlier, there was not much they can do, once the Pharaoh had made up his mind, and once the arrangements were made, it was her duty as a citizen of Kemet to fulfill the roll assigned and serve her country as best as she could.

Even if that service came in the guise of the new wife of the Pharaoh.

Still, that time was not yet upon them, so she resolved to make the best of the time they still had together. She would stay with him and enjoy his company as much as she still could.

Silently, she slipped under the sheets touching him hesitantly in hopes of maybe rousing him. He did not wake up; unconsciously however, he tightened his grip around her, so that she was safely nestled in between his arms. Sleep claimed her not long after; her last thoughts being of her wishing that things were different for them, that they could spend an eternity together.


	9. Arrangements

**Arrangements **

**(Variations of the Truth)**

_Chapter Summary: The pharaoh was the political and religious leader of the Egyptian people, holding the titles: 'Lord of the Two Lands' and 'High Priest of Every Temple'._

* * *

SAKKARA

The Pharaoh's arrival to Sakkara was both uneventful and filled with anticipation for almost everybody involved in the planning of the trip. This visit was supposed to be an overnight stop, where the pharaoh and his entourage were supposed to offer some prayers to the local deity, hear some of the request of the citizens and leave the next day, finally heading to Hardai.

The councilors that were plotting the eventual marriage saw this stop as the perfect excuse to investigate further about the mysterious girl that had enchanted the pharaoh so thoroughly, especially since, as if fate had arranged it, it was not uncommon of the girl to visit this particular city at least once every two weeks as part of her temple duties. As such, they were able to glean a bit more about her life and personality.

They were quite satisfied with their findings, especially since almost everybody seemed to have only good things to say about her. Some people praised her organizational skills, others her diligence at work, while some others were quite enamored with her happy and easygoing personality.

The more they kept asking, the more they were convinced that the girl was quite simple minded and would be an easy target for their manipulations. Besides, they were quite sure that there was nothing that could hinder their plans, because… who in their right mind, especially someone as simple as her, would reject the opportunity of being a queen and have a lifestyle of rest and riches?

They couldn't wait to get their hands on her.

For his part, the Pharaoh was just waiting for the time he could see Massika again, for her to spend some time in his company, and maybe even convince her to travel the rest of the tour as part of his detail.

He knew it was quite improbable,especially by doing that he would be blowing his cover as a royal scribe, but then, he considered, it would be quite useful to reveal the truth behind his person. That way, she might agree more readily to comply with his requests.

There was still some time to decide on how to proceed; he needed to first finish the visit on Sakkara, before finally moving to Hardai.

* * *

_HARDAI_

It was just breaking dawn when a lonely messenger arrived at the outskirts of Hardai. As he kept moving, he knew it was way too early to arrive either to the temple of Anubis or to the government palace to announce the imminent arrival of the Pharaoh. Still, he decided he needed to at least try before moving to some place to wait till the city woke up to a new day.

It was not surprising that there wasn't someone able to receive his message on the Government Palace, even after waiting for a few minutes in hopes of someone suddenly opening the door. He considered going to the governor's home to deliver his announcement, but decided that since the temple was on the way to the governor's home, he would try his luck there first.

Much to his surprise, there was already someone at the temple, a strange silver haired person, with a gaze so scary that he could easily give the Pharaoh's angry gaze a run for his money. Which was impressive, considering that this guy was not even fazed by his presence.

He shuddered just to think how that stare would look when actually angered or annoyed.

"Wasn't the Pharaoh supposed to arrive today during the morning?" The silver haired man asked with a frown after once he was done reading the announcement on the scroll.

"He was, but problems at Sakkara delayed him somewhat. Unless some other unexpected thing happens, he will arrive to the city before sunset". The silver haired man just nodded before turning around, effectively dismissing the messenger, who proceeded to go find the governor at his place.

* * *

By the time the rest of the temple was finally up, the adjustments for the delayed arrival of the Pharaoh were almost over. In fact, since most of them were not supposed to be part of the welcome committee with the exception of High Priests Atem and Khaba, their morning ended being pretty similar to any other.

Still, there was some sort of anticipation in the air that could be attributed to the festivities in honor of their local deity, or the rather rare visit of the pharaoh to this side of Kemet.

The anticipation of the inhabitants of Hardai only grew with the passing of time, with everybody in the city awaiting their arrival, and already lining the streets to be able to see them, even if briefly.

When they finally arrived, there were collective expressions of awe and reverence. Children were pointing at the people on the open carriages, some others were trying to see if they could get a look at the pharaoh and others were just enjoying the extravagance of the traveling party.

The reveal of the Pharaoh, who after the impromptu parade, was finally able to greet the welcome committee, managed to get three different reactions. Delight, from the citizens and Governor; there was annoyance from the high priests because of his pretentious introductions.

But above all, there was surprise.

Surprise in the form of a rather loud gasp from a girl in white and gold robes, who was wearing a rather elaborate and adorned wig, just as she always did for important events. A girl who, just in that moment discovered the one she thought was a friend and a commoner like her, was anything but.

Because Massika just found out that her friend Akh the Scribe, was none other than the Menmaatre Ahmose, Pharaoh of Kemet.

Her eyes shone with confusion and betrayal; the initial shock making her frown slightly, though she managed to quickly school her facial features into a look of controlled amusement and a bit of condescension and disinterest. On the inside, however, she felt the confusion eating at her, wanting nothing but to leave the place and try to sort out the jumbled thoughts that were circling around her head.

However, she knew that she had a duty as a maiden of the temple, so she steeled herself into enduring the introductions and brief speeches of the traveling party.

Still, the moment she was able to, she fled from there, without a set destination.

* * *

It was several hours later, when the sun had already set and the ocean breeze could be felt by whoever was walking nearby, that Massika stopped to think some more about the most recent revelation.

She could now admit she was mostly upset about the secret; at first, she thought that maybe Akh had been playing with her, possibly even laughing behind her back whenever she believed him about his job as a scribe. Now, that she could actually analyze the situation, she concluded that maybe, just maybe, he was just trying to have a bit of normalcy in the middle of his hectic life as a Pharaoh.

She could now understand it that way, still, she was not condoning his behavior.

Then again, that would certainly explain why she had been selected as his future bride. Before today, she just thought that it was mostly a whim, that the man and his council had just selected her because her name came out during a celebration or a festival. Now, she thought that maybe she was selected because she already had a somewhat close relationship with the man.

Again, she was not happy with the arrangement; she loved Khaba with all her heart and this just came to disrupt her plans to spend her life by his side. However, she thought that with time, and some effort, she could get used to her new reality.

With a clearer head and a lighter heart, she decided it was a good time to get back home.


	10. Announcements

**Announcements **

**(If I time it right, the thunder breaks)**

_Chapter Summary: Anubis was the god who watched over the process of mummifying people when they died. Priests often wore a mask of Anubis during mummification ceremonies._

* * *

_HARDAI_

If he had not known beforehand, Atem would have been pretty worried when a young messenger came to his door, and gave him a small note from the Pharaoh. The Note stated the place and the time where Atem was expected to appear to "discuss some matters of great importance".

Atem barely covered a snort at reading that last part, especially since the young messenger was still there waiting for an answer. As if he could actually refuse. And as if he not already knew what those "matters of great importance" were.

He folded the note, while telling the young messenger that he would be there, following the protocol that was asked of him as well as bringing a witness for his part of things. Apparently satisfied by his answer, the messenger was quick to leave.

Sitting heavily in a nearby chair, Atem contemplated what was to come. On one hand, he knew that the fact that his almost daughter was selected to be the future queen was a great honor, and that there were several people that would be pretty excited and honored to be part of this.

However, he knew that Massika would agree to all of these, not because of the illusion of the queen seat, but because she thought she had to fulfill her duties as a citizen of Kemet. He agreed with that, he just wished it was not at the expense of her true happiness.

Still, he could do nothing but to wait and see how everything evolved. And to wait for Khaba to get to the temple so he could convince him to accompany him to the negotiations with the Pharaoh's people.

"But I wonder… would that be somewhat cruel…? But then… wouldn't it be crueler to leave him wondering about everything…?"

The sudden arrival of people from the other wing of the temple interrupted his musings. He only remembered about them when Khaba found the forgotten note some hours later.

* * *

The common population of the city of Hardai, was aware of the official agenda of the Pharaoh and his entourage. As such, they were there for the prayers at the temple of Osiris, for the public hearings organized two days in a row, and for the festivities organized for the day before their last there.

What they did not know, was that in between all these important events, a series of negotiations were being held, deciding the future of a young woman. In almost any other negotiation for an arranged marriage things would run smooth and without glitches, with the future groom offering something within his possibilities and the father or tutor of the bride to simply agree to the terms before being done with it.

This time, the father figure of the girl, and the man accompanying him, were fighting tooth and nail to get a favourable deal for the girl, in spite of the several attempts of the high council to treat the girl's interests as mere inconveniences and as irrelevant matters.

Atem, the father figure, had never been as angry as whenever he left those meetings. Then again, the simmering rage shining behind Khaba's eyes, promised murder and eternal suffering if those people did not show even a bit of respect for his beloved.

Still, they managed to reach an agreement and all that was left was to notify Massika and to announce it to the rest of the city's population.

Problem was, they were not sure when or how the announcement would be made. In the Pharaoh's words "it would be somewhere I decide is the best place for these kind of news".

* * *

Even if Atem or Khaba would have wanted to tell Massika that the deal was sealed and over, and that she was now officially engaged to the most powerful man in the country, obligations around the temple and tending to some of the things relevant to the official visit of the pharaoh kept them from even crossing a pair of words with her.

Still, they were assured that they had some time before the announcement was made, especially since the pharaoh and his entourage were supposed to still be around for the next three to four days.

Big was their surprise when, the "perfect place and moment" came just while the inauguration of the new wing for the temple of Anubis was being held.

And they could actually understand it, the night was beautiful. The stars were shining brighter than ever, there was a little wind and the weather was bordering on cold but staying on the chill side. In fact, the few clouds in the sky were mostly surrounding the full moon, making it glow in a rather interesting way.

People of Hardai thought the marvelous weather was a gift from Anubis himself, as he was pleased by the expansion of his temple.

The pharaoh was convinced that the night was perfect for important announcements. And so, he ordered some of his men to go look for Massika, and bring her to the front so she could be with him while he announced their engagement.

Which, was not what he agreed with her family.

In fact, said family was a bit shocked by the sudden appearance of those men and the barely noticeable but still there aggression in which they took Massika, supposedly under the instructions of their Pharaoh. By the time they realized what was about to happen, they were unable to intervene.

Atem was watching the procedures with more sadness than irritation, wishing that he was able to break the news to her in a gentler way. Khaba on the other hand was feeling a murderous rage, in part because of the broken agreement, and in part because he could clearly see the growing discomfort in his beloved.

The speech the man was giving for the announcement was making things look like a commercial transaction instead of a marriage, as if the girl was more of a possession than a bride to be. Everybody noticed, and were confused, since everybody in the city knew for a fact that said girl had been in a relationship with High Priest Khaba for a time now.

By the time the speech was done, Khaba had moved to the back of the crowd, too angry to completely control himself and maintaining in check his powers. In the distance, high voltage lightning could be seen, and soon after they were heard and felt. The earth trembled with the force of the energy suddenly unleashed.

He closed his eyes to try to calm himself, as he did not want to create a scene in front of the rest. When he opened them again, he made eye contact with Massika, who was looking directly at him with sadness and shock in her eyes.

A lone tear rolled down her cheek.

A lone drop of water fell from the skies.

And suddenly the clear, starry sky was covered by heavy stormy clouds, and the light breeze morphed into an aggressive wind that announced the start of a thunderstorm.

Atem thought that the weather changes were because of Khaba's anger.

Khaba knew for a fact that they were not his doing, but hers.


	11. Farewells

**Farewells**

**(Every tear I shed is for you)**

_Chapter Summary: The Nile was the main highway of Ancient Egypt. Boats made of wood, with sails were used to carry everything._

* * *

_HARDAI_

A week after the Pharaoh's official departure from Hardai, had Massika packing some of her most important belongings, as per agreement, she would be joining him on Thebes.

The whole process was a painful one, mostly because she never really got around on the idea of actually leaving her home and the city. Every place, and every person she encountered during those days made her remember all the happy times she enjoyed with them. All the parties at the gardens, or the meetings where they organized festivals of formal ceremonies. She remembered all the jokes and all the heated arguments. She remembered everything and at times, she wished that she didn't.

The temple was worse, since she spent all of her conscious life living there. She knew that place like the back of her hand, all the nooks and crannies, the hiding places and the secret passages; the forbidden rooms and the open altars; the working places and the resting wings.

She knew all of the people living and working there; people who tried to spend as much time with her as possible, since all of them knew that there was a possibility that they would never see her again once she departed to Memphis.

She tried to offer everybody a smile, to reassure them that she was… content with the marriage and that she was willingly going through it, that they had nothing to worry about.

And if, while saying these, her eyes were covered with unshed tears or her voice broke slightly while talking, nobody commented on it.

She would travel to Khmunu by skiff, taking advantage of the somewhat favorable winds that had been blowing lately. Once there, she would wait a day or two until she was able to secure transportation that brought her all the way to Thebes. She would travel only with some essentials, while the rest of her belongings would arrive at a later date to the Pharaoh's palace.

She was resigned to make the trip alone, wallowing in her misery, and mentally preparing herself for what was to come. Great was her surprise when, the day she was supposed to leave, Khaba boarded the same Skiff as her, carrying some light luggage and claiming that he was not letting her make this trip alone.

The gentle smile that she offered him was proof enough of the gratitude she felt in that moment.

Turning around, she saw Atem smiling sadly at them, the same sad smile that he had been showing them since the marriage announcement and which, no matter what, was unable to actually reach his eyes.

He hugged tightly, almost as if he was unwilling to let her go, and maybe that was the case, because, even if she actually was willing to marry the Pharaoh, he knew it was not what she had envisioned for herself.

"I'll be seeing you for the wedding. I convinced the Pharaoh to lead the ceremony"

"Thank you, it will be great to have you there with me".

Massika knew that he was making a titanic effort to show strength where there was almost none, and that he would break down later when nobody was there to witness his despair. So she hugged him again before boarding the scriff where Khaba was already waiting for her, in a silent assurance that everything would work itself out and that they should not worry.

And it would, she was sure of it, even if she did not know exactly how.

* * *

_THE NILE_

The first few hours of travel could only be described as uncomfortable at best. What could have, at any other time, been a pleasant trip on skiff along the Nile with the love of their lives was turning into the most awkward trip of their lives. It was not that they were uncomfortable with their current company, but that neither of them were sure how to act around the other, now that their relationship was almost over.

They were mostly avoiding each other, going as far as only talking to the other whenever something really important needed their attention. Otherwise, the trip was made in silence.

That is, until Massika had enough of it. Because, maybe her companion was sad, and could moodily sulk on the other side of the skiff at his heart's content, but she would be damned if she let what could be their last moments together be this sorrowful and miserable.

So she decided to take matters into her own hands. Or more accurately, she decided to just go and sit on his lap until he acknowledged her presence there. She was determined to make him talk to her, to sort things out with her and then enjoy the trip like they would have done several weeks back.

The reaction she got from her impromptu plan was… expected and interesting. The moment she sat in his lap, his first reaction was to unconsciously hold her hips so she would not fall off him. By the time his brain caught on what he was doing, his pale blue eyes got impossibly wide and his face reflected the shock and confusion of not knowing if he should push her away or just hold her as tightly as possible and never let her go.

The decision was taken from him when Massika held onto his neck, and started to play with the hairs on the back of his head. Her point was driven further when, without any more prompting, she kissed him sweetly but fiercely.

They traded kisses for quite some time, each revelling on the feel of the other's body next to them. It could have been minutes, or it could have been hours, neither wanting to let go.

It was Khaba who parted first. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, as the reality of what they were doing caught up to him. Still, he could not say that he was regretting the previous moments, as that would be an enormous lie.

But it was not right, and somebody could see them and tattle on them to the pharaoh. He wanted to continue, he just wasn't sure it was a wise choice.

As if reading his thoughts, Massika suddenly got up from his lap, and with practiced ease, she got rid of the wig she was wearing for the day, letting her long golden tresses cascade down her back.

The wig was a short simple thing with only the bare minimum of jewels attached to it as it was supposed to mark her status as a maiden of the temple during her travels while also not being too ostentatious. However, the design was something that identified her wherever she went, as not many maidens wore that specific hair arrangement.

Seeing her with a different kind of wig was rare. But seeing her without one entirely was unheard of.

"Let's play a Game, beloved" Massika murmured against his lips, while also sitting back on his lap. "During this trip, there is no one else but us, a couple of might be foreigners in love traveling to the capital city." With that she proceeded to also remove his headdress, letting his silver hair flow freely with the river breeze.

She decided to let her proposal sink by kissing him again, with more passion and more enthusiasm than before, feeling him run his fingers through her hair with one hand and tightening his hold on her waist with the other.

They did not need any more words to understand their agreement. For the next few days she would be just Massika, and he would be just Khaba. No titles, no obligations, no nothing.

Just them and their love.

* * *

The trip, in the end turned out pretty idyllic, with them indulging in their every desire, being it food, sleep, cuddles or sex. They only stopped to get back to land when nighttime came and they needed to find shelter or when they ran out of supplies.

They also modified their traveling arrangements so they could get to Dendera by skiff and then to Thebes instead of moving by land from Khmunu.

And they even decided to use fake names while on land, just in case and just because,completely posing as a pair of foreigners traveling for pleasure and leisure.

It was fun and it was peaceful. It was everything they always wished to experience with one another.

But every day they enjoyed the presence of the other was a day closer to the end of their affair. Every little caress freely given was one that was treasured dearly in their minds and in their hearts, since they knew that there would not be much more of them in the future.

And even if they tried to not think about it, deep in their minds they knew that they were getting closer to the end. There was no way around it, nor a way to stop time and make their moment together eternal.

So they tried to make the best of the situation. By being Khaba, by being Massika. By being themselves

Until the day everything shattered while arriving to Dendera.

* * *

_DENDERA_

Some minutes before dawn, found Massika curled up against Khaba, her hair sprawled all over his torso, while his own silver tresses were covering most of his small pillow in a rather messy way.

They had not been asleep for long, their latest round of love making getting well into the wee hours of morning. They knew they would be arriving to a small port on Dendera the next day, and with it, they would have to be extra careful not to be seen, since they would now be too close to the capital for it to be safe. So they decided to spend the night on the skiff to enjoy themselves as much as possible.

They were not supposed to wake up until the sun was practically hitting them on their faces, just a few hours before midday. They were not supposed to get up from their makeshift bed until it was strictly necessary. They were supposed to keep the other warm until the heat of the sun made them separate.

Instead, Massika was wide awake, feeling like the Nile itself was trying to tell her something important, if she could just listen.

Because now that she was awake, she could feel it too. Something was about to go wrong, or at least not the way they had planned.

And wrong it went.

Once the city started to get into view, she noticed an increase of military presence everywhere that looked as if they were looking for something. For a moment, she thought that whatever prompted them to leave their barracks should not be of any concern to her, since she was not an enemy of Kemet nor a criminal looking to cause trouble. But the same strange feeling that woke her up earlier, made her be wary of their presence.

The arm sneaking around her waist distracted her from her musings, making her turn around and offer a sunny smile to her until now sleeping companion.

"What is troubling you, Beloved?"

"It may be nothing, but… I noticed an increase of military activity in this city. It seems like something big happened"

"Oh, I'm sure Het was thrilled to mobilize his men if it didn't…" At her questioning gaze, Khaba decided it was in order to elaborate. "Het, you may identify him as the god Seth."

Further discussion was interrupted when they noticed another military convoy moving along the streets of the city, and something told them they should be extra cautious when they disembarked.

And part of that caution was to shed their fake personas and present themselves as Temple Maiden and High Priest. Which in the end panned out, since it turned out that they were looking for her, not only on Dendera, but on every city of Kemet. Apparently, the Pharaoh sent a messenger to Hardai to get the itinerary of his bride to be, so she could have the appropriate welcome to the capital city. The problem was, the official itinerary included their change in transportation back on Khmunu.

And when the Pharaoh could not get a hold on her whereabouts, he got desperate and sent the entire Army of Kemet looking for her.

At hearing this, two things occurred to them. Het was sure to be pretty annoyed. And their little affair had just got to an end.


	12. Of Linen Robes and Elaborate Crowns

**Of Linen Robes and Elaborate Crowns **

**(Dragging down Stars)**

_Chapter Summary: The festivities pertaining to the coronation often lasted for days, as the crowning of a new ruler was a time of great joy and celebration for the nation. It was believed that the gods were in attendance during the rituals and festivities._

* * *

_THEBES_

Once they were located and identified, the travel from Dendera to Thebes was made in almost no time. The soldiers were given instructions to bring Massika and whoever was traveling with her to the main palace as soon as possible.

Massika recognized that even if they were quite firm in their instructions and gave no room for protests or complaints, they were never rude nor disrespectful. And considering that, the ones escorting them were quite high in their ranks, she wondered if the order to treat them with care and respect came from the Pharaoh or from Het himself.

By the time they got to the main palace, a welcome committee not unlike the one that received the pharaoh back in Hardai was there to greet them. A group of girls quickly rounded Massika and led her to what was to be her room for the next few days. A group of boys made the same with Khaba, though instead of leading him to the royal wing, he was led to the quarters given to important guests.

Which were on the opposite side of the palace, giving them no real opportunity to say their farewells as they would have had they've been in the same ward.

Their hopes of maybe meeting sometime before the wedding were dashed away almost instantly. The girls that surrounded her, had precise instructions of always being with her, because the future Queen of Kemet needed to get used to the life in the palace, and as such her ladies in waiting should be there to help her to adapt.

Her days were soon filled with wedding preparations, with her meeting Seamstresses and tailors, offering the best designs for her wedding robes and her wardrobe in general; meeting caterers for the official banquet that would be held after the ceremony; with florists that would be providing decorations for the hall where the wedding would take place.

She even had to interview the musicians and performers that would be animating the banquet and the ceremony.

There was not a day that was actually free for her. Usually her days would be so packed with activities she would often fall asleep before her head actually hit her pillows from exhaustion.

But it was ok. All those activities were ok to keep her from thinking about things. Or about people… or about events.

And exhaustion was good to keep her from dreaming about silver tresses and blue eyes that shone purple under certain circumstances. About long arms and firm muscles that held her tightly at night.

Yes, she told herself. Exhaustion was great.

* * *

Khaba's schedule was not looking any better than Massika's as he found himself in the company of other local priests, primarily of the temples of Wepwawet, Thoth and Osiris. They claimed that they needed to start coordinating the upcoming festivals of the funerary gods, and as the one with the highest rank among them, he was unable to tell them off.

The only night he was somewhat "free" he received the visit of his 4 best friends, who came to see how he was doing with the upcoming wedding.

Since Seth and Thoth were the ones with a mortal facade to rely on, they had at least the decency of knocking the door before getting in, even if Anubis knew that even if he told them to go away, they would not have listened.

Once they were inside, both gods decided to get a bit comfortable, shedding some of the usual regalia. Thoth going as far as letting his long blond curls fall free. For his part, Seth decided to inspect the current accommodations of his friend and while not finding them lacking, they thought he should have gotten something better.

Horus and Ra, on the other hand, did not bother to even announce themselves, and just appeared in the middle of the waiting room inside Khaba's quarters.

For a moment, Anubis thought about complaining about the unsolicited but not entirely unwanted company, or about the way they just decided to appear in his quarters without a care of who could see them get there, but refrained and just went with the flow. He knew that, when this four, led by Ra, got an idea on their heads, there was no way to dissuade them from completing it.

And this time, it seemed, their mission was to distract him from what was going on in his life.

Seth and Thot's easy banter actually managed to lift his spirits, their raving going from the uselessness of some of the tasks they were given, some gossip from the palace (provided by Thot) and, when they were feeling especially ridiculous, they started to argue about whose shade of blonde hair was better. They then started to play light (and not so light) pranks on Horus, making the brown haired god scowl and even snap at them. Ra who was watching them amused, would join them from time to time into making the other god suffer for a bit.

After making him suffer for a bit, they listened to Horus explaining his latest studies of the stars and they way some of them were moving in patterns that were strange even for him. he explained that there seemed to be some movement from places overseas that were affecting his reading but that ultimately he was sure nothing major was happening.

They knew it was inevitable to talk about Anubis' beloved, but when they finally asked him about her, they avoided any talk about upcoming events, and just focused on the good days, the funny stories and fond memories.

Anubis didn't know he needed their company this much until they were about to leave just before dawn.

One by one, they were disappearing, each of them getting back to their mortal occupations in the case of Seth and Thoth or to the other plane,in Horus and Ra's case.

Just before disappearing too, Ra turned back to face Anubis. His midnight blue eyes looking over him, as if trying to decide if what he was about to tell him was the right thing. "Khabis, you know that you're like a little brother to me, and I don't want to see you suffer. I will always respect your decisions and will always support you but… maybe you should consider spending a long season back in the Duat."

Anubis understood what was left unsaid, and actually considered it. He knew his friend wasn't expecting an answer right away, so he just gave him a one armed hug before murmuring… "maybe I will."

Ra disappeared in a burst of golden light, leaving a pensive Anubis behind.

* * *

The day before the wedding, Massika received a visitor that she was not expecting… even if she should have, considering that she was now engaged to the man.

Then again, she was not sure if she really wanted to deal with him at the moment. She understood the whole convenience marriage deal, and even the whole secret identity idea… she was just upset with him not coming forward before she realized by herself in the worst way possible.

No, she was not entirely sure she wanted to deal with the man at that exact moment, though it was not like she had any real option. Nobody was able to really say no to the pharaoh.

Plastering the sunniest smile she could manage, she opened the door of her temporary quarters to allow him in, which he promptly did, entering the room as if it was his and his alone.

She found herself feeling irritated with the man, and he had not even uttered a word yet.

She calmed herself, thinking that perhaps her irritation derived from the marriage situation and the constant longing she felt for another man. She thought that maybe she was being unjust with him and that, if she wished to live, maybe not happy but content in this marriage, she should at least try to get along with the man.

So with their apparent previous friendship in mind she decided to hear him out.

They made some small talk, him asking her about the trip to the capital city and she in turn asking him about the tour around Kemet. Funnily enough, both questions received vague answers that seemed to gloss over the facts.

After some more minutes, Massika finally had enough, both her irritation and her curiosity getting the best of her, so without much preamble she asked, "why didn´t you tell me about your identity? Or about your intentions to marry me before the arrangements? It's not like you never had a chance to do it."

Taken aback by her bluntness, he took some time before managing to answer, something that Massika interpreted as if he was trying to come up with another lie. She told him just that and to please refrain from it.

"I was not planning on marrying yet, to be honest. The idea came from the councilors during the trip along Kemet, and when they presented you as a candidate, I just agreed."

"So I was the easy way out."

"More like the only one I would have felt comfortable with."

There were no more words after that for quite some time, she mused on his answers; he just admired her beauty.

"Were any of the things you told me actually true?" Massika's question shattered the silence. Her tone was not accusing, nor judging. It actually sounded resigned, as if she was expecting him to confirm that everything was a lie, and the man that she got to know did not actually exist.

"No, my birth name is actually Akh, and I really was born on on name Ahmose was given to me when I inherited the throne from my father. Part of my childhood was spent in Abydos with my mother, though, as you can see, I am not a scribe. I… tried to tell you as little lies as possible, mostly because of practicality."

"Look, I know we are starting this with the wrong perception of the other, but I hope we can make this marriage work, for the sake of Kemet, but mostly, for our sakes. I'm sure neither of us wants to have a miserable existence for the rest of our lives"

Massika had to concede that he had a point, and that she had been thinking the same thing when he got to her doorstep.

"I guess… if we both put some effort… O.K., let's try it."

She sealed the deal by offering her hand, which he promptly took, kissing it instead of shaking it.

A small laugh escaped Massika's lips at this. Yes, she would never be really happy, but she could at least get to be content with this.

* * *

Dawn had not broken yet and the main palace was already bursting with activity. All servants, hired temporary aids and whoever could be available to help were already getting things ready for the wedding ceremony and the coronation afterwards.

The wedding would be held in the main hall of the palace, which was ordered by the Pharaoh himself to be prepared and adorned with yellow and red flowers, white linen and as much gold as possible. Finger food and lots of beer would be offered to the select few nobles and other guests that would be present in the ceremony before everybody had to move to the main palace garden, where the new queen would be crowned and given a new name according to the predictions made at the moment.

The garden itself was to be adorned with linen of several colours, but mostly white, as most of the flowers there were also of that same colour. Gold appliances would be placed there too, so they could shine with the light of the sun giving the entire space an ethereal look.

During both instances, there would be musicians and performers ready to please their needs for music or entertainment.

All in all, it would be a great event.

* * *

Little by little, people started to fill the main hall; Noblemen, high ranking military men, and sacred men from all over Kemet started to gather in small groups, reconnecting with old acquaintances and in general trying to not look as curious as they actually were for who would be their future queen.

Words were soon lowered to murmurs when people noticed that the pharaoh was already passing through the big doors that led to the hall. He was flanked by the high priest from the temple of Osiris and his general in chief of the army of Kemet. People parted for them, letting them pass towards the throne in the center of the hall. As soon as the pharaoh was seated, they dispersed and mingled with the rest of the people already gathered there.

It was now just a game of waiting.

Some minutes later, a guard announced that the bride was there and that they needed his permission to start the ceremony. Getting his affirmative, The guard moved back to the door where some of Massika's Ladies in waiting were ready to start the ceremony.

The musicians then started the ceremonial performance, the ritualistic music for joyous occasions and weddings. The ladies in waiting started to advance into the hall, throwing flower petals while dancing to the tune, as an offering and a prayer to the Goddess Bastet so she could bless the union.

Moments later, the priest that would lead the ceremony came through the doors, with a sure pace and his head high; his black robes with golden accents, marked him as the highest authority of the temple of Anubis, where the bride to be was from.

The priest was Atem, who as part of the negotiations for the marriage, demanded to lead the ceremony, even if it was not something he usually did.

By the time the ladies reached the lower steps of the throne and the Leading Priest got to take his place to lead the ceremony, the doors of the hall opened for the last time to admit the bride to be.

She was being carried by several men in an open palanquin, displaying her for everybody to see. They advanced some of the steps inside the hall before depositing her in the middle of the venue. Atem took her hand in his and proceeded to escort her to the Pharaoh's side, but not before hugging her and silently asking her for the last time if she was sure that she wanted to go through with this.

At her silent but firm yes, he released her and finally escorted her to the throne area.

With great care, Atem deposited Massika's hand into the Pharaoh's waiting ones, and while he went behind them to take his place to lead the ceremony, the pharaoh said some words meant only for Massika's ears, where he, in front of the gods pledged himself to her. Silently and with a small smile, she did the same.

Neither promised eternal love, but they promised fidelity and comprehension.

As tradition dictated, words from one of the sacred books were read aloud. They served as both a remembrance of the union of Osiris and Isis in the ancient times and as the guide and expectations of what was to be the marriage of the ruling king.

And, as tradition dictated, Atem gave his approval of the union as the father of the bride, as a priest and as the representative of the people of Kemet in that moment.

Taking her hand in his , he slowly led her to the main garden, where the rest of the guests and important people of the city were already waiting for them.

Once there, priestesses and maidens that acted as seers approached them and took Massika elsewhere. Sitting her in the small chair that was prepared for that express purpose, they began the divination for the future of the queen. Chants and prayers could be heard by all the people present, and some of them could even see some energy being channelled to and from the priestess and the Pharaoh's new wife. The chants suddenly stopped. The seers were finally given a vision. They all could see water, rain, strength and victory into the girl's future.

And so, the name of the new queen was decided.

"Me, Menmaatre Ahmose, Pharaoh of the Upper and Lower lands of Kemet, living representation of the God Osiris on this earth, present to you your new Queen of Kemet." Ahmose turned around to take a small golden circlet with a snake on it that was slowly placed upon her head. "From now on, she is to be known as Queen Anukit, who should rule by my side with wisdom and strength."

The words of the pharaoh were received with cheers and acclamations both because of this announcement and because of the fact that, finally, there was a new queen.

* * *

Celebrations for the wedding and subsequent coronation were held all over Thebes. Beer was available for everybody, as well as food and entertainment. Noblemen and high ranking officers could be seen mingling with the rest of the population, even if they had the option of staying on the inside of the palace for a more private celebration.

Then again, since the pharaoh and his new queen were now outside as well, they decided that it could be a good exercise to see how the rest of the people were receiving the news.

There was a moment where a group of kids surrounded their new queen, asking her to play with them and trying to take her with them. Security guards were about to intervene and send the kids away, but before they could, the queen smiled at them and told them that she would join them as soon as she could.

Apparently satisfied, they ran away to pester somebody else.

"You're rather good with children."

"I have always enjoyed their carefree spirits, and the wonder they still have for the world."

The subject was dropped when some of the people of the council approached them, and in a not so subtle manner, left the new Queen outside of the conversation. Not giving them any mind, she decided to mingle and explore too.

She was in the process of picking some of the food offered near her when a voice startled her into dropping the small snack.

"I must admit that you look gorgeous in those robes, though you would look even more stunning if you were smiling like you meant it, dear."

Turning around, Massika found herself face to face with Thoth, who was now donning his guise of Seker the scribe. He was holding several snacks on one hand while trying to pile some more with the other. Noticing her scrutiny, he motioned for her to resume choosing something to eat so they could move from there.

She obliged, picking some sweets and waiting for him to finish. They began to walk seemingly aimlessly in silence, enjoying the food and looking around the celebrations. For a moment, Massika was tempted to break the silence and ask him if he had seen Khaba. However, she reasoned that maybe his invitation to wander around was to talk to her about that or maybe to bring her to where he was waiting.

Turns out she was, and was not right.

They ended up walking to where Khaba was waiting, though he was not alone. He was talking with people she had never seen before, and if she hadn't known better, she would have thought they were guarding or even protecting him. Not that he actually needed protection. By the time one of them noticed their presence, all of their eyes turned to her, making her feel rather insignificant in her presence.

She understood why, when they introduced themselves; she was being surrounded by the highest gods of Kemet.

Seker proceeded to introduce them, pointing at the one with a human guise first, and then pointing out who else was there. Het was the first one to approach her, taking her hand and giving it a chivalrous kiss. "It is a pleasure to meet you, young Massika, or should I say Queen Anukit?"

"Massika is alright" Blushing slightly, she offered him a weak smile that she hoped hid her nervousness. He started light conversation with her, the other gods joining in still with some reserve but before she knew it, she was already having fun with them.

She was sure that there had been a test somewhere, and it seemed that she passed whatever it entailed.

Ra excused himself first, claiming he had to go look for Hathor so they could attend some urgent matters. The knowing gazes of the other gods told Massika exactly what those urgent matters were.

Horus was next, though in his case, a young boy appeared out of thin air looking for him. He gave them his farewells before disappearing in the same way as the boy.

It left Seker, Het and Khaba alone with her, though not for long. Even if they still were bantering and joking, both Seker and Het knew that the other two needed some time alone to finish sorting out things, so with the excuse of finding some more food (Seker) and another beer (Het) they left them alone for the time being.

And if they made sure that they were somewhat invisible to the rest of the party well…

Problem was… once they were alone, neither of them knew what to say to the other and soon an uncomfortable silence had set over them. They had a lot of things they wanted to express, a lot of "I love you" and lots of "I miss you already" but neither were the right thing to say there.

In the end, they heard a familiar melody and settled for a dance.

It was the same melody they were dancing when they first got together. And the same dance they heard on another festival when they admitted their love for one another for the first time.

And it seemed that that same melody would mark the end of their current story.

Unlike the other times, their dancing was not joyous and carefree. It was not filled with happiness and fast steps, or smiles and even kisses. This time their dance was almost solemn, too serious to match the happy tune. There were no smiles, or kisses or love declarations. There were no love filled hugs but hands tentative holding each other while trying to convey desperation.

They got separated when the melody ended, neither looking at the other in fear of not liking what they would find in their eyes.

"I… am going back tonight" Khaba murmured, in a voice so soft that even Massika, being as close as she was, struggled to hear him.

"I though Atem said you would be in the city for a couple of days more."

"Massika, I am not going back to the temple in Hardai, but back to the Duat, to resume my duties as a judge."

"So… this is Goodbye for us…?"

"Yes, It is."

The sting of unshed tears made itself known in her eyes, but she forced herself to hold them back and instead offer him a smile. She knew it looked a bit forced and a lot sad, but she also knew that he would appreciate it either way. Impulsively, she hugged him with all her might, clinging to his neck and trying to not sob while in his arms. "I really hope that we will meet again sometime."

She broke the hug and ran away, not noticing the small tear that rolled down his cheek. He also turned around ready to leave the venue. "Yes, we will" he whispered before disappearing.

* * *

**Juuust in case you missed it:**

**Anubis: Kunzite**  
**Thoth: Zoisite**  
**Seth: Jadeite**  
**Horus: Neprhite**  
**Ra: Mamoru**


	13. Going Under

**Going Under **

**(If I look deep enough)**

_Chapter Summary: The Land of Punt was an ancient kingdom, trading partner of Egypt that was known for producing and exporting gold, aromatic resins, blackwood, ebony, ivory and wild animals._

_Chapter Warnings: Light depictions of domestic violence. Nothing too graphic or detailed, but it is there. if you think that might tigger you somehow, please skip the scene that starts with "We´re traveling to the Lands of Punt"._

* * *

_ABYDOS_

Contrary to what she might have thought, Massika found herself falling into a routine rather easily. And against whatever prediction she might have entertained, she did not see her husband a lot of the time during the day. In fact, there were also nights where she was alone in their quarters, with her husband who knows where doing gods knew what.

Not that she really minded.

The man was attractive, she must concede and when he was not being a total creep, he could be a really good conversation partner. The problem were those creepy moments. They could sneak on her at any time, being during their rather awkward sex, during serious conversations regarding the kingdom, while eating or even when they were doing nothing.

Sometimes there was a lascivious gaze that made her uncomfortable, or the tone of his voice while saying something, making it sound aggressive and demeaning even if the content of the sentence had nothing of the sort. It could be the way he said a certain pet name or even the way he acted around her when they were with other people.

So she decided to stay away from the man as much as she could, only interacting with him when absolutely necessary. Which, seemed to annoy the council to no end.

She knew that they were aiming to manipulate the Pharaoh through her, and they were not subtle about it in the least.

The first days of her stay at the main palace in Thebes, she got a visit from several of them, telling her that they would be there for anything she might need, and to not hesitate if there was something she did not understand. Soon, they visited her to talk about things related to the kingdom, though they usually came to her with the guise of asking for her advice in a completely different matter.

Lately though, they were coming to her with gifts, that she could easily label as bribes. For some reason, they seemed to think that she was still oblivious to their machinations, that she was just an air headed, basic girl and that they could use her to achieve whatever they wanted with the pharaoh.

So she turned that belief against them, feigning to be an idiot and sometimes forgetting what she was supposed to tell her husband or simply telling him things that were complete opposites to what they wanted.

One of those suggestions was the move to the palace of Abydos, which she justified as her wanting to spend more time it their green areas, as they were prettier and bigger than the ones in Thebes. In reality, there was a dispute between Linen traders that was getting out of control and that the Council was eager to hide from their king.

The council was livid, but were unable to prevent the move without being suspicious.

Obviously, Ahmose noticed the minute they set foot in the city. Which then led to a screaming match that could be heard all the way to the royal gardens… even if they were on the other side of the palace.

"My my… but just what happened there… I haven't heard the man this mad in ages!"

Leaning back on a nearby tree was Thot, again disguised as the scribe Seker. He seemed to be paying close attention to what could be heard of the screaming match and had a rather amused smile on his face. He turned his attention back to her, expecting an answer to his question, which Massika readily provided.

"Well, those idiots thought that I was just a poor damsel that they could use to manipulate the Pharaoh. I just proved them wrong while not disproving their beliefs…"

"Just as expected, I knew I liked you for a reason."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that you're as clever as I imagined… and as he described you."

A loud crash of something breaking interrupted their conversation, making them turn to see if there would be something flying over their heads or if they should cover themselves. Satisfied that there were no flying objects heading in their direction, they resumed their conversation.

"So, what are you doing here? I highly doubt you came all this way to praise me."

"Oh, I didn't. In fact, I came looking for your dear husband, in regards of the robbery of sacred items form several temples along the Nile."

There was another crash followed by absolute silence. And then loud stomping steps could be heard coming their way. Three councilors passed by, not even sparing them a glance before leaving the place altogether.

"Well, that seems to be my cue, take care, dear!" And with that, Thoth moved towards the palace, whistling a song while playing with a scroll in his hands and leaving a confused Massika behind.

* * *

It had been a mistake. A huge miscalculation of their part.

When they decided that they needed to force a marriage on the Pharaoh, they thought that they could control every aspect of it and in turn control him. So they schemed, and they planned. They hand picked a bride that would fit their needs and standards. One that had already caught the eye of the man. They thought that nothing could go wrong and that they would soon be the real power behind the throne.

They made a mistake. The girl turned out to be useless to their purposes, being either too stupid or too clever to go along with what they subtly and not so subtly suggested her.

Yes, they made a mistake and now were paying dearly because of it.

They needed to get rid of her, but it needed to be in which their involvement would be minimal, or they would lose everything they had gained.

They called their best spies and their best investigators to gather every scrap of information about her. They knew that there should be something they could use against her, they just needed to find it.

They just needed to wait.

* * *

And find it they did. It was not an easy endeavor, nor a quick one. Even their best spies could not find something against the girl which made the councilors rather desperate since with every day that the girl was still there, their goals went further and further away. Until one day, one of them found a scrap of information.

Before the engagement, the girl used to have another lover, a priest of the temple where she used to live. Said lover participated in the negotiation of the engagement and subsequent marriage. And was the one to accompany her to Thebes for the wedding.

There were no records of the man going back to Hardai afterwards, nor of him actually leaving Thebes in the first place. It could be that he simply took another route or that he was still living near them somewhere.

It was a stretch, and it could possibly be a lie but they used that idea to plant the seed of doubt in the Pharaoh's mind.

They started with little things, like asking Ahmose about the girl, and how she was adapting. Then, they started to make small comments questioning her activities and who she spent her free time with. The comments about the sheer loneliness that she should be experiencing were next, implying that it was strange that, even if she did not have a lot of friendly faces around, she was always happy.

With every step, there was a great deal of denial from the pharaoh, but every time they asked in any way, they could see the seed of doubt growing inside of him.

They were just a flimsy gossip away to make his doubts go haywire. They just needed a well placed word at the right moment.

They just needed him to overhear a conversation.

* * *

He could not believe that his marriage was falling apart so soon. He refused to believe what his council was trying to tell him in a veiled way, but after hearing those servants talking about the mysterious man that was seen talking to the queen the other day…

He still refused to believe, but…

He reminded himself, that he had more important matters to attend, like the fact that they might finally be able to get back the stolen goods from all those temples but for that, he needed to move forward with his trip to the Land of Punt.

In fact, he could take her with him and try to reconnect with her if there was really a separation issue, or to get closer to her if there wasn't one to begin with.

He decided he would be talking to her that night before sleep.

* * *

"We're traveling to the Lands of Punt."

There was no preamble, nor real context behind the sudden announcement or even a reason why her husband was telling her that, which left Massika understandably confused.

Still, she did not make a big deal of it, thinking it was just another of his husband's whims and thinking she could get away from accompanying him. She resumed her grooming while asking for the reason behind the sudden need to travel to foreign lands, and the apparent urgency of leaving their lands behind.

Massika could see him taking a deep breath, as if trying to calm himself before answering. He told her in a clipped tone about the stolen goods and the incidents behind each of the thefts, something that she already knew. "My investigators finally managed to trace and secure them, but since they are currently in the hands of the rulers of Punt, I need to go there and pay my respects, then we can take home the missing items."

"But you don't really need me there and I don't really want to travel."

It seemed like the wrong thing to say, because Massika instantly saw him clench his jaw and tense his body as if physically restraining himself before almost shouting "Why? So you can stay behind and run around with your lover?"

His tone so full of disgust and betrayal it made Massika really pay attention to what was happening before her. Her husband was red with anger and his eyes were reflecting just as much of the hurt and betrayal that his earlier statement conveyed. A hurt and betrayal she did not understand where it had come from.

"What are you talking about? I don't have any lover!?"

"Don't lie to me, Massika. I heard some servants recounting how the queen seemed to spend a lot of time with a mysterious man! How she giggles a lot and how she seemed to be very familiar with him!"

It dawned of Massika that he must be misinterpreting things, because the only person that fit that description was Seker, and she was definitely not in a relationship with that particular man/god. Still, her silence served as an apparent confirmation of her guilt to Ahmose, who promptly started to shout profanities against her and this mystery man. Until he shouted something he should not have.

"Is that priest you were always with, isn't it!?" His screams were now bordering on insanity, while he also looked for something to use as a relief of his anger. He took a vase that was nearby,threw it to the nearest wall and watched it shatter as it fell to the floor. He turned to confront Massika again, but her frightened eyes seemed to tell him what he wanted to know. "He is still around here isn't he? I'll kill him! I'll find him and I'll kill him!"

"You will not do no such thing!" Massika shouted too, in part because she knew that Khaba was no longer in Egypt and because even if he were, there was no way Ahmose could kill an actual god. Deep inside, and even if she felt no real love for her husband, she was worried he would end in a really bad position if he confronted the god.

But Ahmose was not aware of any of that, his mind completely clouded with the doubts slowly planted there by the council and by Massika's apparent acceptance of the situation.

So he slapped her. He slapped her so hard that she fell to the floor, clutching her abused cheek. He stood above her, his eyes ablaze with fury, and his posture ready to pound. For a moment, Massika though that he would try to beat her into submission.

Instead, he just left her there, turning around to leave their quarters. He stood by the door, and without turning to look at her, he told her in a voice filled with contempt "I'll be leaving tomorrow morning to the Land of Punt. You better tell that lover of yours to not flee and confront me as a man, because if I come back and cannot find him, I'll look for him all over Kemet, starting with your city which I'll raze to the ground until there is nowhere left for him to hide."

* * *

Though the original forecast for the day included clear skies and calm winds, that would be ideal for navigation, when dawn broke, heavy dark clouds were tainting the horizon, the winds were displaying a strange shiftiness on their direction, that while still considered friendly, could turn out to be quite dangerous and deceiving. Even the waters of the Nile felt strange, sometimes feeling too heavy for navigation and other times feeling too aggressive to even get near.

It was the morning Ahmose was supposed to part to the Land of Punt, and even if the master navigators told him to wait a few hours to see if things changed for the better, he refused to listen.

He had spent the night revisiting his harem, a place he thought he would not be using for a really long time, but after his fight with Massika, there was the only place where he thought he could find some solace. Now… now he was regretting his life choices. He knew that he overreacted with Massika, and looking back to their confrontation he could see how she was more scared than defiant, how she never accepted his accusations and how her actions were more placating than offending. He was just too clouded with anger and his mind was too filled with the doubtful comments from the councilors.

He should have investigated more before confronting her, and he should have trusted her more. He could have managed the traveling situation in a better way, so she would be more open to accompany him on this trip.

Instead he was to part from her in bad terms, with no hope of reconciliation in the near future and instead ot the memory of her sweet smiles, he just had the memory of her frightened eyes burning the back of his mind.

And when he went looking for her in their quarters, he found that she had already left to one of the temples. He decided to leave her a small scroll with an apology and the promise of talking things in a civil way when he came back. He promised to hear her out before accusing her of anything again. He knew it was not enough, but he hoped that It would suffice for the time being.

He swore that, once he came back from Punt, he would devote his life to make the girl happy. But he needed to go now if he wanted to be back as soon as possible,

So he ignored all recommendations to wait some more and sailed away to Punt.

Later, much later, when his ship was about to sink because of a sudden storm near the Waterfalls, he thought that maybe he should have waited some more… and that now he would never be able to make it up for Massika again.

And even when he was about to drown in the bottom of the Nile, the memory of his wife made dying hurt just a little less.


	14. Succession

**Succession**

**(Fly away, where I find another day)**

_Chapter Summary: The afterlife for the ancient Egyptians was The Field of Reeds (Aaru) which was a perfect reflection of the life one had lived on earth._

* * *

_LUXOR_

News of the Shipwreck and of the Pharaoh's demise caught the entirety of Kemet completely off guard. An expedition to retrieve the body and search for clues as to what caused the incident was deployed and before a week was over, they had their answers. There had been a huge storm that caught them unawares and, since they were not equipped to survive a storm of that magnitude, they were quickly overwhelmed. The fact that the ship also hit some of the rocks placed near the first waterfall only helped with the inevitability of their fate.

Still, once the body arrived to Thebes, the ceremonies began. The council wanted to call a priest from the local temple of Anubis to perform the rituals, but they found a quick refusal from the queen herself. "I must remind you all that, before becoming a Queen, I was a Priestess and a Maiden of the Temple of Anubis. So I thoroughly refuse to have someone else come and perform the rituals for my late husband."

They wanted to refuse her, their dislike of the girl growing exponentially, but even if they had wanted to argue back, they found no support from the rest of the court. They all saw her as a mourning wife wanting to give a proper farewell to her beloved.

And so the rituals began the next day.

The Ritual of the Opening of the Mouth was made behind closed doors, with Massika leading everything and only getting help from some of the maidens from the local temples. She made sure that only people that she trusted was to be there with her.

They chanted and mixed oils with the body, they prepared the linens and the ointments. All the while, when they came out of the rooms, Massika organized everything regarding the offerings that would be going with the Pharaoh to his tomb.

Seventy days later, they all parted to Luxor.

There was a huge procession going out of Thebes, with the coffin containing the Pharaoh on the front of it, and Queen Anukit leading the procession. She was wearing black and green robes, symbols of life and death; As queen, she was obligated to wear as many ornamentations as possible, she was wearing a huge necklace made mostly of emeralds that covered almost all the front part of her chest. On her arms there were golden bracelets, with scarab motifs, and on her upper arms, she was wearing some cuffs. Her wig was as ornamented as the rest of her, with small appliances of gold and silver attached to it.

She was projecting a rather impressive image, almost like a goddess walking among mortals, image that was accented by the time the sun rose on the horizon and illuminated her fully, causing awe on the rest of the people watching and / or joining in the procession.

By the time they reached the Valley of the Kings, and Ahmose´s Mastaba, a great deal of people had decided to join in the Pharaoh's last journey on Kemet. Still, only a selected few were allowed to enter the Mastaba to deposit the mortal remains of the Pharaoh and the offerings he was to present to the gods for safe passage.

One by one, the people that entered the Mastaba came out slowly. The last one being the Queen, a situation that everybody attributed to the fact that she might still be mourning. However, once she was out, one of the nobles there flanked to the base where the rest were already waiting and without a word, they all started the procession back to the Palace on Luxor.

Nobody said it aloud, but they knew turbulent days were coming their way.

* * *

Days quickly morphed into weeks and soon, half a year had passed. In the meantime, all of the Pharaoh's previous responsibilities fell upon the Regent Queen, who in most of the people's opinion, had been doing a marvelous job.

In fact, several of the governors of the cities were really satisfied with the new management, since a lot of the issues that the previous ruler had deemed unimportant or not urgent enough were being dealt with the efficiency and care of one that was really preoccupied with her subjects.

Nevertheless, as always, there were a select few individuals that were not happy with the Queen's performance. Or with the queen in general, especially since before the Pharaoh's demise, they were looking for ways to get rid of her and replace her with someone more suitable to their needs.

They needed a different puppet, one that followed their instructions to the letter, not one that was just playing dumb while also thwarting their plans and machinations.

The problem was that, there was no-one with a better claim to the throne of Kemet. And even if they managed to find someone, there was no warranty that they would be able to influence their decisions. That and they actually felt the people's approval would not be in their favour.

They even tried to manipulate her, the same way they did with Ahmose into marrying someone, but somehow, she was able to refuse to even pay attention to their suggestions, going as far as claiming she was still mourning.

As if they would believe her.

So they let the time pass, waiting for a mistake or for something that could give them an edge they could use against her.

* * *

_THE DUAT_

Even though the judging of souls was a rather easy affair for the gods involved, whenever they judged the soul of a ruler of Kemet, some special regulations must be observed.

They had to thread carefully, since they would be judging the one who is the physical representation of Osiris, and judging those actions were almost like questioning the god himself.

On top of that, judging Ahmose was… an interesting affair… interesting enough that Anubis almost excused himself from the trial for the first time in centuries. Still, the god was professional enough to act completely neutral, even as he heard him plead his innocence while his list of sins were being recited by the 42 initial judges.

The Weighting of the Heart was next, and it was no surprise that the first thing that Ahmose did when his heart was placed against Maat's feather, was to recite a spell from the Book of the Dead. With that, he was able to avoid the Devourer of souls, passing through the gates to his new existence in the afterlife.

The rest of the souls from the shipwreck were quick to follow the fate of their old ruler, all of their hearts being balances against one of Maat's Feathers, before the goddess herself delivered their sentencing.

Soon, the Hall of the Final Judgment was empty, save for Thot and Anubis. The former, still organizing his notes and archiving the newer sentences. The latter lost in his thoughts, while his own notes and the books he used for the trials were scattered around him.

Thoth knew why the god was in that mood, and he even contemplated leaving him alone so he could mope in peace. Then again, the very reason for his depressing mood had just become a widow, and as such he could easily get back into her arms.

"Why are you still here?" Thoth decided to breach the subject in a nonchalant way, hoping he did not sound too interested or invested in the answer.

Coming out of his reverie, Anubis looked confused for a minute, before the question actually sunk in. "It is not right to seek her out, and you know it," he answered with a deadpan expression. "She must be mourning him, even if a little."

Thoth saw him turn around and finally start collecting his things. He also saw him spacing out a lot while doing so. "But she will not be mourning forever, and I don't see you preparing for another extended leave."

"That's because I'm not leaving."

"Excuse me, what?" The answer catching Thot completely by surprise, it was not what he was expecting from his friend, not after all the pretty things he used to tell him about his "beloved" and all those talks about spending her mortal life by her side. The fact that he was now renouncing all of that was… unthinkable.

"You heard me, I'm not going back to her, not now, not this life. If I see her again, it will be once she has passed the trials of the Hall of the Final Judgement."

Breathing deeply, calming himself before he snapped against his best friend, Thoth thought carefully how to word his next argument… because it seemed that Anubis was forgetting some rather important facts here.

"And what if she never comes here? Are you sure she will be part of this side of the afterlife? She could be going to a completely different place, once she dies. Anubis dear, should I remind you that your little girlfriend is not a normal human?"

Anubis did not deign to give him an answer, simply gathering his things and leaving Thoth alone in the Hall. For his part, Thoth could only gape incredulously at the retreating back of his friend. He also gathered his things, but instead of chasing Anubis to continue their discussion, he headed to a different direction.

He found who he was looking for, and before the other god was able to even greet him, Thoth announced. "Seth, we need to talk. I need to ask for a favour, since Anubis is behaving like an idiot."

Nodding for him to go on, Thoth recounted his earlier conversation with the other god, his reactions and his arguments. Seth listened attentively, sometimes interjecting when something was not clear to him.

"I just think that he is still hurt by all this, and let's be honest, it will be some time before he is able to think about this situation without hurting. Maybe we should give him more time," Seth reasoned, not really agreeing with his friend's actions but understanding them either way.

"But we should remember that as special as she is, she is a mortal… and I don't want Anubis to have eternal regrets over not taking advantage of however long they had in this life."

"So what was that favour you wanted?"

"I want you to help me look over Massika, I'm going to enlist both Horus and Ra into beating some sense into this idiot, but in the meantime I need you to watch her. Your position as commander in chief would give you the best excuse to look for her regularly, while mine as scribe would give me access to her almost any moment. So, will you help?"

"For her and that idiot?" Seth smirked playfully and the twinkle in his eyes told Thoth everything even before Seth loudly announced "Count me in!"

* * *

_THEBES_

Almost four months after the death of Ahmose, Massika decided that she would move her center of operations to a different city, and even if she would have wanted that city to be his beloved Hardai, it did not have the means to support the entirety of the government forces.

Besides, the idea of being in Hardai without Khaba was not appealing in the least.

So she settled for the next best thing, and she moved to Memphis instead. There were obviously those who were not pleased with this decision, however she managed to justify the move claiming that since it was near the most fertile lands of the Nile, she would be able to better oversee that the Harvest of the Year was not affected by the lack of a King. She also said that it would look better for the population if their current ruler was concerned about their future and not just about commodity, and luxury, something that the palace on Thebes was well known for.

Those in the court and in the council who already loved her, were pleased by her commitment to their country. Those who had always despised her, abhorred her even more at their inability to contest her claims.

It was then that the move to Memphis began. Another three months later and all that was left to move was some of the bigger treasures and the people that would work there. They were scheduled to be in Memphis by the end of that week.

The move was supposed to be a smooth affair, just moving from one place to the other without incident. Instead, the day before they left Thebes, the Queen and her aids received intel that strange people sailing their way from the northeast side of the Ocean. Whispers seemed to suggest that those strange people were the ones behind the temple raids and that they might be heading their way soon.

Suddenly, the move to Memphis was a really good decision… and a necessity that needed to happen as soon as possible.

* * *

_MEMPHIS_

With the help of Het, Massika was able to post several groups of sentinels near the borders of Kemet, paying special attention to everything that happened in the Sea; before long, she was receiving reports of who exactly was approaching her kingdom.

"They are known as the Sea People, since they have no known land to where they belong. They are a group of barbarians that enjoy disrupting countries and looting what they could after they wage war against them"

Massika pondered the information for a moment, reflecting on the things that Ahmose told just before his death. She remembered his urgency to travel to Punt, and how he was rather insistent on going personally to oversee the retrieval of the stolen temple items. Suddenly, she thought that maybe, he that knew something else was going on and wanted to prevent it.

She made her impressions known to Het, who after reviewing what he knew, confirmed her suspicions. Those thefts were related to the could-be invaders… so nothing good could come from the fact that they were heading their way.

"Het, you are aware that I don't know a thing about warfare, so I will be relying on you if the worst should happen."

"And you know that I appreciate you greatly, not only because of why we met, but because of who you are. However, what you are asking of me is not as almost siblings in law, but as a Queen to her Commander in Chief." Without any prompting, Het bowed to her, crossing one arm over his chest before solemnly reciting "I, Het of Nubt, Commander in Chief of the Armed forces of Kemet, pledge myself to you, Queen Anukit of Kemet, to serve you in everything that is within my abilities, both during peace and during wartimes."

Stunned speechless, it took Massika a couple of minutes to formally accept his pledge, before thanking him profusely, which only prompted a small chuckle from him. "It's the least I could do for you, little Queen."


	15. Smoke and Mirrors

**Smoke and Mirrors **

**(Hold up the Spear of Destiny)**

_Chapter Summary: The Ancient Egyptian Navy was a vital part of the military of ancient Egypt, helping to transport troops along the Nile River and fighting many battles such as the Battle of the Delta against the Sea Peoples._

* * *

_MEMPHIS_

By the time the latest reports came in, Massika and Het were ready to tackle everything that came their way. There were already several strategies ready depending on the actions of these men, and with the help of all the generals of the army, both the land forces and the warships were ready to be deployed at a notice time.

Still, they would wait to see how they were intending to approach, and if they would first attack or if the would-be invaders would try to sneak up on them before invading. They were hoping for the latter, considering their fame as overconfident and cocky warmongers and even if they were armed to the teeth, they would present a friendly facade just to deceive.

And so, the charade began with their disembarkment on Djanet, one of the cities on the delta of the Nile. The governors of all the cities in Kemet had instructions on how to act in case they were the ones to have first contact with the Sea People. They were to receive them as friendly as possible, asking them about their ruler, representative of whoever was in charge of the "expedition". Then after treating them with the most hospitality they were able to, they would invite them to move to Memphis, where the Queen was eager to meet them.

Meanwhile, they should alert the towns nearby so they could start a silent evacuation of the cities and take refuge on the designated places where they would wait until the queen told them it was safe.

Then, the army was to start surrounding the would-be invaders so if they tried anything strange, they would be ready to react.

It was not an infallible plan, but it was flexible enough for them to adapt and maneuver.

Three days after their disembark in Djanet, the cities near the Delta were already deserted and the intruders were traveling to the capital city, where the queen herself received them with some fanfare and a small festivities.

But it was also when hell started to break loose.

* * *

Upon first glance of the invaders, Massika could tell that they were not an organized nation nor people that wanted prosperity through the conquest of lands. Just by looking at them, she could see that they were a huge mixmatch of people that wanted to be warmongering on other people's lands. She could imagine that several of them were actually exiled from their original countries and were now wandering aimlessly.

The sentinels and their web of spies reported that their leader, who answered to the name 'Zidanta' was a man covered in heavy lower clothes that resembled those from Persia, but that his chest and arms were covered in strange patterns of body ink. They reported that he was always accompanied by two other men whose origins were uncertain, but that seemed to be a mix of Hittites, Hyksos and Babylonians.

Those were the men that were currently seated at the same table as Massika, watching some of the ladies from the old harem, move their hips to the tune of their most alluring dances. They were being offered refreshments, and lots of beer. They were also being fed the most delicious food that Kemet had to offer. On the other side of the table, her Commander in Chief, and one of her advisors, who usually posed as just a regular scribe were trading somewhat suspicious glances. They just knew that the apparent peace the other men were offering was a temporary one and that they were at a moment's notice to shatter it in the worst way possible.

Thankfully, everybody in the room knew exactly how to react.

"Your ladies are lovely, your Majesty," one of the men suddenly offered. His face already a bit red from inebriation, and his tongue just lose enough for him to start talking more that he should have. "But you know who would be lovelier? You, sprawled on Zidanta's bed!" the man slurred words were barely understandable, especially since they were followed by a boisterous laugh. However, they were clear enough to stun everybody on the room momentarily.

Maybe not reading the mood correctly, or just ignoring the hostility that could be felt all around the place, Zidanta toasted to the air before affirming "well, it will happen eventually, so, what's the matter?"

"I don't recall my hand being promised to anyone."

"Oh but my dear Anukit, nobody is talking about marriage! I was merely planning to use you until I tire of you. Besides, I am not asking your opinion on the matter. You will be with me either willingly or by force."

Indignation coursed through Massika's body, her blue eyes slightly flaring with light but before she could react, a sword was shoved under Zidanta's neck, while Het's low growl threatened, "Never, never talk to my queen like that again, or you'll get to know just how sharp Kemetian irons are."

The man just laughed, before standing up and motioning to his companions to do the same. "Well, by force then. Just don't cry when all of your cities are burned to ashes, queenie."

Guards all over the hall had drawn their swords and spears, but a subtle signal from the Commander in Chief prevented them from actually attacking. Once the men were out of the palace, several pyres were lit, signaling the troops near the city to start deployment.

Two hours later, all ships were ready and the soldiers on land were ready for the attack.

* * *

_THE DELTA OF THE NILE_

The thing about centering their operations in Memphis for the upcoming attack was that, since the Sea People were used to traveling everywhere on their warships, they insisted on traveling to the capital city by navigating the Nile. Het was almost sure that they did it as a strategic move, since that way they could gauge the currents. They also thought that posting their ships in their docks would act as an intimidation technique in case things went south sooner than expected.

Because everybody knew that they would go south eventually.

Yet, in Het's opinion, they committed a major miscalculation while doing so. They forgot that, even if Kemet was not a warmongering country, bent on expanding and conquering lands beyond their borders, they were somewhat used to defending what was theirs… and they were not the first invaders that thought they could use the terrain as an advantage.

They thought that as the ones who knew almost all that was to be known of navigation and naval warfare, they could be unbeatable while on their ships… and Het was determined to prove them wrong.

He ordered his generals to post their ships on some of the river banks hidden from view, especially those near where they would be going through so they were unable to see them when passing nearby. The rest of the branches of the Nile would be waiting for a sign to engage or move, while also observing the happenings on the capital city.

The soldiers posted on the ships to overwhelm the enemy ones,making them unable to move before boarding them as fast as possible; they knew that naval warfare was not their forte, but they knew that they were excellent land warriors… so they would move their fight to the land one way or another.

On the ground, the rest of the militia were disguised as civilians going about their lives in a simple way. Their patrols would be disguised as making errands from one place to the other, and they would be reporting on plazas or markets where their superiors would receive and send information for the Commander in Chief.

By the time the pyres were lit that night, everybody got in position and, before the invaders were able to launch their offensive, they found themselves already under attack on multiple flanks.

* * *

_VALLEY OF GIZA._

The Sea People were also not counting on the sudden shifting nature of the Nile, that one moment was being calm, and the next it behaved quite aggressive, making them struggle to get hold on ropes and weapons.

Some of the ships were exploded from the inside, others were used to confuse the enemy, getting rid of the entire crew first and launching attacks against them from what seemed a friendly fire. It was not long after that the Sea People realized that, if they wanted any chance of actually defeating them, they would have to fight on the ground.

For a moment they smirked, since they were used to dirty tactics, such as holding hostages and causing as much civil disturbances as possible. What they were not expecting was that the entire city was deserted and that the tactic used against them resembled guerrilla warfare.

They were soon driven out of the city, to the open fields of the Giza Valley, where the real battle would take place. The Sea People's army was already decimated, but was still big in number. They were, however, quite shaken from their previous attacks and had some difficulty in reorganizing themselves. Either way, they were able to give their all in the fight, sometimes even thinking that they were gaining ground against the Army of Kemet.

However, with a literal god of war in the midst of the battle, they never really stood a chance.

Het's fighting style was quite vicious, extremely aggressive and with a deadly precision that could almost be labeled as an art. His troops were trained in the same style as his and even if they were not as refined, they were a force to be reckoned with.

They were also well trained to hear and to notice the different instructions given by their superiors, or in this case, since he was leading the offensive, by Het himself.

The Sea People thought they were gaining territory. They never noticed how they were slowly being driven to a rather high cliff… that is, until there was nowhere else to move but down.

The Sea People were surrounded with only the cliff behind them. And at Het's signal, the Kemet Army charged against them, slowly making them fall from the cliff.

The Nile was still behaving in a strange way, and once all the Sea People fell, they were engulfed by its turbulence, not allowing them to come back to the surface.

Het's satisfied smile quickly morphed into a cry of victory, that was soon echoed by all of his soldiers.

* * *

_MEMPHIS_

While the actual battle was being fought outside, the palace was bustling with activity too. Couriers, messengers, informants, spies, everybody was gathering information and reporting to the queen and some of the generals left behind on how the battles were going, if they needed to adjust any strategy or if they should send any kind of supplies, especially to the ones fighting in the river.

So far, everything was going according to plan, save for a couple incidents of sea warriors that went astray or were left behind to cause havoc in the city while the others were led elsewhere for the actual battle. Until that moment, damage to the city was reduced to the destruction of a few buildings and the wreckage of the Dock area.

It was more than what they wanted, but still within range of what was expected.

The arrival of one of the sentinels posted near one of the cliffs overseeing the battle of the Nile, announced its end. The sentinel recounted everything that happened, even if with previous reports, they were already aware of most of it. Still, he told them how the enemy retreated, that at least a couple of ships were able to escape, and that those ships were damaged almost beyond repair.

Almost everybody relaxed with those news, feeling that victory was imminent.

The only ones that were still not completely relaxed were the queen and one inconspicuous scribe. In fact, they were even more tense at knowing that just the battle of the valley of Giza was left, because even if they knew that victory was almost a given, they also knew that in those kinds of battles, even the smallest detail could tip the balance to one side to the other.

A few hours later, when a battered soldier appeared in their presence, announcing their complete victory over the enemies, but recounting the numerous deaths that the army suffered, everybody was able to sigh in complete relief.

Hugs were exchanged, several messengers were sent to the other cities housing the displaced citizens of Memphis and surrounding places, and plans to honor the dead were laid on the table.

Among all that ruckus, nobody noticed how the queen left the room in search for some quiet and solace. Which in the end proved to be a horrible mistake.

* * *

After hearing the primary report from the battle of the Valley of Giza, Massika decided that she needed to have a moment to herself without disturbances. She took advantage of the fact that everybody was distracted with post battle arrangements to slip away unnoticed.

She headed to her quarters, knowing that even if someone were to notice her absence, it would be the last place they would look for her. She was feeling tired, all the stress of the last few days finally taking a toll on her, but she was feeling unable to relax even for a bit. She was just too wired with adrenaline.

All the way to her quarters, she had been trying to calm her mind, to stop worrying about her friends and subjects that were fighting outside while she was just directing the battles from the safety of the palace.

For a moment during the initial battle discussions, she cursed herself that she never learned how to actually fight beyond some moves of personal defense. She as a ruler was supposed to be there with them, not hiding behind a desk. Thankfully, both Het and Seker were able to make her see some sense before she got herself killed by stubbornly marching to the middle of a battle.

"You're more useful to your subjects alive than dead, my Queen." Seker told her in a rather serious way; Seker had never called her that, which only served to drive home the severity of the statement.

But now everything was over. Their planning was effective, the invaders were out of their lands, hopefully for good and they just needed to reschedule that failed trip to Punt for everything to be over.

She needed solace and she needed the quiet of her chambers. "It will be just a few minutes, and then I'll be back to matters. Nobody will even notice I'm gone"

However, the moment she closed her doors, she knew something was wrong.

But by the time she turned around to see what was it, she found herself pinned to a wall by the throat, a dagger to her side, and Zidanta's horrible breath and crazed eyes over her.

She remembered some of the earlier reports, where nobody could get a hold on the man, where everybody assumed that he had fled inside some of the ships that had escaped...

They were wrong… they were horribly wrong and now, because she wanted some solitude, they would never know. Or at least, not before it was not too late for her.

"If I had known I would lose this much because of a pretty face, I would have attacked your lands without warning… I should just kill you to get back at least some of it… I should, but there is no joy in that…" he shifted his hold on her, moving the dagger to her stomach and squeezing her throat a bit tighter. His face got even closer, in a more threatening manner before spitting "I am fulfilling my promise to you. You will be mine, either willingly or by force. You decide."

Massika was trying really hard not to panic in the face of her attacker, trying to breathe as deeply as possible while revisiting her meager classes on self defense. she knew that Zidanta could easily overpower her, no matter what she tried. still, she knew that with just a minor distraction, she would be able to make his hold on her lessen enough for her to try to escape.

She started to look for something to cause said distraction, but it seemed that Zidanta took even that in consideration, as they were quite far from almost anything.

"What about neither?" two pairs of eyes got wider in surprise. Zidanta's as he was not expecting someone to have found them this soon, and Massika's because it was a voice she had longed to hear for the last past months.

Zidanta's hold on Massika just got tighter, her hands instantly flying to press Zidanta's arm while gasping in an attempt to get even a bit of air down her throat.

"I suggest that you release her this instant or else…"

"I won't! I'll kill her! I'll kill her even before you can….." Electricity cursed through Zidanta's body, forcing him to release Massika before falling to the ground in an agonizing heap. A few seconds later, a group of guards blasted the doors open, arms drawn and ready to attack. One of the guards posted outside of the war room noticed her leaving, and decided to follow her. When he heard that she was in trouble, instead of rushing alone, decided to go get some help.

The guards quickly took notice of the third occupant of the room, giving him a curious glance over before dismissing him as unimportant for the time being. They all moved to gather the by now unconscious invader, one of them going to their Queen's side to see how she was faring. She weakly assured them that she was alright, though nobody really believed her. The guard was about to press for her to seek aid or for him to escort her to the healing halls when the stranger stated that he would make sure that the queen got the necessary care.

"I only ask you to please send someone to inform Commander in Chief Het about this incident."

With a nod of acceptance, the group of guards move outside the room, prisoner in tow.

* * *

The silence between them felt oppressive as It had been literal months since they had seen each other; their farewell had not been a fond memory, and both had been resigned to never hearing from the other for much longer than had actually passed.

Still, before her, Khaba was standing clad in one of her favorite black cloths, using some of the jewelry she gifted him over the years and looking at her as if she was the best thing this world had to offer. His gaze was displaying other emotions too, Massika could discern some regret, some sadness and so much love that it made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

She could not deny that she was feeling almost the same, and that at the same time, she was not really sure if she should act on her emotions.

He was the first to break the silence, asking her to move towards the halls of healing, going as far as offering her his hand for her to lean on until they reached their destination.

The trip was made in silence. Both having an infinite amount of things they wanted to express, but neither willing to be the one to say them first. When the healers got hold of their queen, they fused over her, examining her thoroughly while her companion simply watched. Once they were done with her, they made her lay down for a bit until they prepared her something for the sore muscles of her throat.

Just as Massika was about to close her eyes, a sudden "I'm sorry" made her open them wide in surprise. Her eyes fixed on his, watching him fight with his words and making an effort to express what he was currently feeling.

"I'm sorry. For not coming back to you earlier. For attempting to pretend that you did not exist so I could hurt less. For not being here when you needed me the most." She watched him take a deep breath and close his eyes. It seemed that there were a lot of things he still wanted to tell, but when a few minutes passed and there were no more words coming, she tried to answer.

"I'm… sorry… too" Massika tried to speak, having thought that the damage to her throat would not affect her that much. Still, every word she tried to utter hurt her horribly.

It was a bit ironic, she had wanted to talk to the man/god in front of her for months now, and when she finally had him with her, she was unable to speak.

Her frustrated face must have told him everything, because with a small smile and a fond gaze, he told her to wait until she was feeling better. "Don't worry, I won't be leaving your side anytime soon."


	16. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

** (I will open your old mystery)**

_Chapter Summary: The Duat is the underworld or the realm of the dead. It is the home of the god Osiris, Anubis, Thoth, Horus, Hathor and Ma'at. Ra, the sun god, also travels through the Duat every night and battles the serpent monster Apep_

* * *

_THE DUAT_

Several years passed, and with them, a lot of things changed on Kemet.

When the stories of the defeat of the Sea People reached other lands, some wanted to try their luck against what seemed to be the next mighty army of the time. Very few were successful, and even those who were able to defeat them, could not keep Kemet under their control for long.

Because every time Kemet fought against another invader, their Queen was there in the middle of everything, planning, making strategies and sometimes, even fighting.

This dedication to her people was what made some of the upper nobles propose crowning her as Pharaoh instead of queen.

There was opposition for the claim, especially on the high council, but since the favor of the people was with their queen, it was just a matter of time before the Seers of Ra got the answer the people desired.

And soon, Pharaoh Maatkare Anukit was crowned.

She never remarried. She claimed that she did not have time for those things. People who did not know the circumstances behind her first marriage, thought it was because she never got over that death. The people of Hardai, and those who were close to her in some way, knew that she was just unwilling to marry. Their knowing gazes whenever she was seen with a certain priest on her hand was all that was needed to express.

Her reign lasted more than 40 years. Ones that were considered of great prosperity and advancements. But now, after she passed away, and after the proper burial ceremonies were done, her story was to take a different turn.

Once upon a time, a Judge of the Underworld told another that this woman was not a normal mortal. Once upon a time, words with the force of a prophecy were uttered without any of the people involved in that discussion realizing it.

And a god who thought he knew better almost blew his chances with the one he loved the most. And even if he now was worried that they would be unable to spend their afterlife together, he was glad that he got to spend her mortal life by her side.

It had been more than 70 days. More than the funerary rites of Kemet were supposed to last. She did not show on the Halls of the Final Judgment. Her soul had not crossed the sacred river.

Before the god could dwell more on the apparent inevitability of an eternity apart from his beloved, a pair of small hands hugged him from behind. He felt how the owner of the hands buried her face in his back.

Holding the small hands in place, Anubis smiled slightly when he realized who was holding him now. "Looks like I was right, you're more special than I thought"

"You mean, you knew all this time?"

Anubis turned around, facing the girl in front of him. Gone were the wrinkles, and her hair was again that lovely shade of gold so brilliant on her youth.

He hugged her back, and leaned down to kiss her lightly, first on her forehead and then on the lips.

"I had my suspicions, but it wasn't confirmed until just now"

"So what was worrying you so much, my love?" Massika asked him, while he started to lead her to a more private place.

"Nothing beloved. There is nothing left for me to worry". He smiled and kissed her again, just before closing the doors behind them.

* * *

And... that's all folks!

I have plans to come back to this universe later, I already have some ideas for one shots so...

Anyway, Thanks are in order:

to the People participating in the 2019 Senshi & Shitennou mini bang, to those who wrote with me when i randomly popped to the Write a go go chanel.  
to the marvelous mods...

To Artimas for the great art that inspired me to write more than what i had originally thought. (and for her support of my crazy ideas, you can find her art in her tumblr, Artimas tumblr com (slash) **post/188757079490** or **post/189026945665**  
To Cluckster for her patience while looking this fic over.

and to anyone who took their time reading til the last word.

Thank you!


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